Eastbury Community School

EASTBURY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 - 18 October 2002

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EASTBURY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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EASTBURY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Roy Patient

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January, 1997 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 4

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responsibilities

11049 Mark Woodward Registered inspector Citizenship What should the school do to improve further? How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements How well are students taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 16472 Catherine Stormonth Lay inspector Educational inclusion How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its students? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 2188 Andrew Lyons Team inspector Design and technology 20729 James Berry Team inspector Science Chemistry 22695 Raymond Cardinal Team inspector Religious education 17530 Mary Cureton Team inspector Geography 17709 Alan Giles Team inspector Physical education 4773 Peter Gilliat Team inspector History 22577 Margaret Hart Team inspector Special educational needs 22723 Bob Hartman Team inspector Mathematics 1240 John King Team inspector Art

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responsibilities

12121 Jack Mallinson Team inspector English 18032 Isobel Randell Team inspector Information and communication technology Eastbury Comprehensive School - 5 19404 Les Schuberler Team inspector Modern foreign languages French English as an additional language 30072 Joseph Skivington Team inspector Music

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responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Eastbury Comprehensive School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 14

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Eastbury is an average-sized comprehensive school, serving 1622 pupils aged 11-18. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school at non-standard times is well above average. Twenty nine per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals which is above the national average. Around a quarter of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds with 23 per cent having English as an additional language of whom eight are at an early stage of language acquisition; these are much higher proportions of pupils than found in most schools. Twenty one per cent of the pupils are on the register for pupils with special education needs which is broadly in line with the national average, and four per cent of the pupils have statements of special education needs which is above average. Nine pupils attend the unit for those with a hearing impairment. The school is part of an Education Action Zone and receives support through the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Excellence in Cities initiative. Standards achieved by the pupils when they enter the school are below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Eastbury is an effective school that is improving under the very good leadership of the headteacher and other members of the management team. Standards are below average but are rising in response to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning. These have been achieved by recruiting very well and by developing teachers’ classroom practice. Although the school has improved significantly there remain subjects and aspects of provision that are not yet satisfactory; most of these issues are being tackled well. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher is leading the school very well • Teaching and learning are improving in response to the leadership offered by key staff and by the commitment of the teaching and support staff. • Relationships are very good between all members of the school’s community and this is supported by the good procedures for managing pupils’ behaviour. • The recruitment of teachers is very effective. • Newly qualified teachers and teachers new to the school are given very good support. • The provision for hearing impaired pupils is good and they achieve well.

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What could be improved

• The achievement of boys, particularly in Years 10 and 11. • Attendance, and some of the procedures for improving attendance. • Provision in modern foreign languages and art. • The provision for pupils with English as an additional language. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and aspects of its organisation. • The monitoring and analysis of pupils’ progress. • The provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE), tutor time and assemblies. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1997. Since then it has made good progress despite facing some major challenges particularly in recruiting and retaining good quality teaching staff. Standards have risen, both in terms of standards seen during the inspections and in comparing test and examination results. Satisfactory progress has been made in addressing the key issues raised by the last inspection; some issues have been tackled very well, such as the improvement in the proportion of pupils gaining five GCSE pass grades, but others still require improvement, such as the level of pupils’ attendance. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 8

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 11 and sixth form students at the end of Year 13 based on average point scores in GCSE and A-level/AS-level examinations.

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similar

schools well above average A 1999 2000 2001 2001 above average average B C GCSE examinations E D E C below average well below average D E A-levels/AS-levels E E D

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similar

The trends in GCSE and National Curriculum test results since 1997 have been above the national trends; A level results have also risen. The school failed to meet its National Curriculum test targets in 2002 but met its GCSE targets except for the proportion of pupils gaining 1A*-G grades. Standards at the end of Year 9 are below average. Results in the National Curriculum tests have been well below average in recent years particularly in mathematics. Compared with the results of pupils in similar schools (based on the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals) the results in 2001 were average. In 2002, results fell in all three subjects; this is a year group of pupils that has not achieved as well as other year groups throughout their time in the school. The achievement of pupils is satisfactory during Years 7 to 11. Pupils make good progress in history, physical education and drama; and unsatisfactory progress in modern

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similar

foreign languages, art and design and religious education. In all other subjects their progress is satisfactory. GCSE results rose in 2002 and were the best in the school’s history. There was a fall in the proportion of pupils gaining 5A*-G grades in 2002 after a dramatic rise between 1996 and 2001; the principal explanation for this is that the school kept 10% more students on roll in 2002. In 2001, GCSE results were average compared with the results of pupils in similar schools. A level results in 2002 were the best that the school has achieved; results in 2001 and 2002 were the best in the borough. AS level results were too low, only 52 % of the examinations taken resulted in pass grades. GNVQ pass rates were also too low. Too many pupils fail to complete courses in the sixth form. Achievement in the sixth form is historically unsatisfactory; students currently in the sixth form are making satisfactory progress.

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similar

Attendance is too low and this leads to underachievement, particularly during Years 10 and 11. It is one of the main reasons why boys do not succeed as well as girls at GCSE. Over recent years the turnover of teaching staff has had a negative impact on pupils’ achievement. Some pupils have experienced several different teachers in a subject during the same academic year. Although there are weaknesses in the provision for pupils with SEN and for pupils with English as an additional language, they make satisfactory progress, as do more able pupils including those that are gifted and talented.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Most pupils have a positive attitude to the school and appreciate the improvements that have taken place in recent years.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Despite the unsatisfactory behaviour of a small minority of pupils who account for the relatively high level of exclusions, the good behaviour of most pupils enables learning to take place and creates a relaxed atmosphere around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships are very good both among pupils and between pupils and teachers.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Poor. Attendance levels remain well below average and this has a significant impact on the achievement of pupils, particularly boys. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 9

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11 Years 12 – 13

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11 Years 12 – 13

During Years 7 to 11, teaching is good in English, design and technology, ICT, history, geography, physical education and religious education and unsatisfactory in art and design and PSHE. In all other subjects it is satisfactory. Following imaginative and determined recruitment strategies, the school has succeeded in stabilising the pool of teaching staff and improving its quality; this is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Improving the quality of teaching and learning is one of the school’s key improvement objectives and, in addition to successful recruitment, this is being achieved through effective staff training and the implementation of good practice from initiatives such as the Key Stage 3 strategy. The learning of all pupils, including more able pupils and those with SEN is satisfactory. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is satisfactory. Good strategies have been developed for promoting literacy, including summer

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11 Years 12 – 13

schools and work with primary schools, but there are weaknesses in the teaching of pupils with English as an additional language..

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum has improved since the last inspection; it is now better organised and a broader range of courses are on offer; some statutory requirements are not met.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special education needs Satisfactory. Although satisfactory overall, much improvement is needed if the school is to meet pupils’ needs well. Considerable progress in improving provision has been made in the last year. Provision for pupils with hearing impairment is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Unsatisfactory. Not enough is known about the progress of these pupils and there are too few support staff to ensure that all of them are taking full advantage of the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory. Spiritual provision remains unsatisfactory from the last inspection but moral and social provision are good. Cultural provision is satisfactory, but opportunities to explore and celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds of the pupils are not reflected in most subjects’ planning.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Pupils are cared for well and procedures for promoting good behaviour are effective. Some procedures to raise attendance are good but others are unsatisfactory. Child protection procedures are satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum has been recently strengthened by the effective implementation of the Key Stage 3 strategy, the Excellence in Cities initiatives and the work of the education action zone. National Curriculum requirements are not met in modern foreign languages and for the use of ICT in a number of subjects and the religious education curriculum does not meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. While some good practice has been developed in analysing pupils’ progress, not enough is known about the progress of some individuals or of some groups of pupils, such as those with English as an additional language. The school is increasingly popular but its partnership with parents is unsatisfactory; a significant proportion of parents do not do enough to support the school’s work. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher is leading the school very well and is well supported by an effective and cohesive senior management team. Most subjects are well managed.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors play an active part in the development of the school and they have a satisfactory understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. More statutory requirements are being met than at the time of the last inspection but some issues remain outstanding.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Very good reviews of performance are conducted each year out of which improvement plans develop. The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning are good in some subjects but unsatisfactory in others.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Finance is targeted well at improvement plan objectives and the resources to support external initiatives such as the education action zone are well used.

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Aspect Comment

The improvement of teaching and learning has a high profile in the school; this is a major strength. While skilful and imaginative management has averted the staffing crisis, not all pupils are taught by appropriately qualified staff. The accommodation has been improved considerably but it remains unsatisfactory, mostly because of the unsatisfactory quality and separateness of the lower school site. Resources are unsatisfactory because of weaknesses in some subjects and inadequate library provision. The principles of best value are applied well.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The extent to which pupils are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • The progress pupils make. • Their children like school. • The information about pupils’ progress. • The partnership between parents and the school. • The quantity and quality of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Nine per cent of parents returned the questionnaire and 28 parents plus 7 pupils attended the parents’ meeting; their views are therefore not necessarily representative. Pupils make satisfactory progress, most enjoy school and they are mostly encouraged to work hard and achieve well. The achievement days are good ways for parents to gain information about pupils’ progress but annual reports are in need of improvement. Homework quality is satisfactory and the school is working hard to improve links with parents. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 11

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIXTH FORM

The sixth form serves 187 students, which is broadly average; there are slightly more boys than girls. It has grown substantially since the last inspection. Around half of the students from Year 11 continued into the sixth form in 2002. A small proportion of the pupils who leave in Year 11 attend other schools or colleges, the remainder seek employment. The school offers A level, AS level, GNVQ, Vocational A levels and GCSE courses. Other nationally recognised qualifications are also on offer, particularly to those taking vocational courses. Pupils enter the sixth form with below average GCSE results.

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HOW GOOD THE SIXTH FORM IS

Provision in the sixth form is satisfactory and it gives satisfactory value for money. Standards are below average. In previous years students have not achieved well enough because some were recruited onto courses for which they were have not suited. The quality of teaching and learning is now good. The range of courses is appropriate and the sixth form is well managed except for the oversight of vocational provision. The new sixth form centre is a very good learning environment.

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Strengths

• The good quality of the teaching. • The pastoral care offered to the students particularly by the head of sixth form. • The accommodation and furnishings in the new sixth form centre. • The ICT study resources.

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What could be improved

• The achievement of the students particularly in AS level and vocational courses. • The proportion of students who complete courses. • The leadership and management of vocational provision. • Careers guidance, particularly for students taking vocational courses. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Strengths and areas for improvement in individual subjects are identified in the sections on individual subjects in the full report.

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THE QUALITY OF PROVISION IN INDIVIDUAL CURRICULUM AREAS

The table below shows overall judgements about the provision in the subjects and courses that were inspected in the sixth form. Judgements are based mainly on the quality of teaching and learning and how well students achieve. Not all subjects in the sixth form were inspected.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

Mathematics Satisfactory. Standards are currently average while examination results are below average; the achievement of students is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are good and the quality of the department’s work is improving as a result of good leadership.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

Chemistry Satisfactory. Standards are currently average. They are higher than examination results because of very good teaching. Overall, the achievement of the students is satisfactory and there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

Design and technology Good. Standards are below average and this represents satisfactory achievement. Students achieve well at A level, but they make less progress at AS level.. More able students make relatively better progress than less able students in GNVQ courses. The quality of teaching is good. The head of department has ensured good progress since the last inspection. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 12 ICT Good. Standards are average and the achievement of students is satisfactory. Recent improvements in the quality of provision are raising student’s rates of progress. Teaching and learning are good and the leadership of the department is very good.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

Art Satisfactory. Standards are currently average while examination results are below average in fine art and average in photography; the achievement of students is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory but the leadership of the department is unsatisfactory.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

Geography Satisfactory. Standards are average and the achievement of students is good as a result of good teaching. The department has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

English Satisfactory. Standards are currently average while examination results are below average; the achievement of students is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are good and the improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

French Unsatisfactory. Standards in the current Year 12 are average but examination results are well below average. The pupils in Year 12 are making satisfactory progress but the achievement of students in previous years has been unsatisfactory. Teaching is now satisfactory but there has been unsatisfactory progress since the last inspection.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

The physical education department enables students to take part in a good range of enrichment activities including Duke of Edinburgh award and water-based life saving schemes. A small group of students are taking the community sports leader award.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

A small sample of lessons was seen in biology, history, psychology, sociology, media studies, law, economics, leisure and tourism and business. Teaching and learning were good overall; in sociology, economics, leisure and tourism, business and one of the law lessons, teaching and learning were very good. Lessons feature challenging discussions where students are expected to think and to justify opinions. Provision in psychology is unsatisfactory because the newly appointed teacher inherited very poor schemes of work and resources; the teaching and learning observed was satisfactory indicating an improving position.

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Curriculum area Overall judgement about provision, with comment

The judgements about the quality of teaching and learning are at odds with examination results in some of the subjects; for example, only a third of students passed the law AS level examination in 2002. The explanation for these discrepancies is that some students were inappropriately recruited onto courses in previous years. Other explanations are that some very good staff have been recruited, for example in chemistry, and students’ learning opportunities have been enhanced by the creation of the facilities in the sixth form centre.

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Aspect Comment

How well students are guided and supported Good. Pastoral guidance is strong but students taking vocational courses do not receive enough guidance about the courses or about careers.

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Aspect Comment

Effectiveness of the leadership and management of the sixth form Good. The sixth form has been developed well. Its recent growth has been rapid and a broad range of academic and vocational courses is now on offer. Monitoring of the quality of provision is satisfactory but vocational provision is not managed well enough. Pastoral leadership is very strong; the head of sixth form gives students a very high level of support. All students have full access to courses and other aspects of provision. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 13 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 14

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What students like about the sixth form What they feel could be improved

• Students enjoy being in the sixth form • They are well supported when they join the sixth form • They are given good opportunities to develop independent study skills • They are taught well and teachers help them to solve problems with their work • The quality of careers advice • Information about their progress • Support in managing personal problems

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What students like about the sixth form What they feel could be improved

The inspection team confirm all the positive comments of the students and agree that aspects of careers advice are unsatisfactory. Students are kept well informed about their progress and are given good pastoral support particularly by the head of sixth form.

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COMPARING PROVISION IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Inspectors make judgements about provision in subjects and courses, and about leadership and management, in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. Excellent and very good are equivalent to the judgement “outstanding” in further education and sixth form college reports; poor and very poor are equivalent to “very weak”. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 15

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Pupils enter the school in Year 7 achieving below average standards. Results in National Curriculum tests taken at the end of Year 6 indicate that standards are well below average; however, the school does not have a complete set of results for any year group and therefore the statistics have to be treated with caution. Standards seen in the current Year 7 are below average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the 2001 National Curriculum tests, results were below average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. Boys’ and girls’ results were similarly behind the results of boys and girls nationally. The fall in results in 2002 was disappointing as it was against the trend of previous years. The school suggests that the particular cohort of children is not typical for the school because it includes 60 who did not select the school as a first choice and were less motivated to learn. This is difficult to substantiate, but it is certainly the case that pupils were disadvantaged by a high turnover of teaching staff, particularly in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The proportion of pupils gaining 5 A*-C grades at GCSE has fluctuated over the past five years but was the highest in the school’s history in 2002; the proportion of pupils gaining A* and A grades is low. Although more able pupils make satisfactory progress, more could be done to ensure that they make the most of their capabilities. The school acknowledges that some more able pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Programmes to stretch more able pupils have been successfully introduced but the key to improvement lies within subjects’ schemes of work.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Value added analyses indicate that pupils make satisfactory progress overall. Value added analysis of the 2002 GCSE results suggest that pupils did relatively better in heritage languages, photography, drama, physical education and art and design compared with their results in other subjects; they did relatively worse in single science, religious education, child development, French, double science and design and technology. In 2002, subjects achieved a better match of actual GCSE results compared with predicted results than they did in 2001; this is a strong indicator of the underperformance of the 2001 GCSE cohort.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. A high proportion of pupils failed to complete GCSE courses in 2002, 45% in photography for example. This inflates the performance of those subjects compared with subjects that were more successful at retaining their pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Positive trends in examination results indicate that the school has made good progress since the last inspection; this has been recognised by the award of government achievement awards in 2001 and 2002. Of particular note are the rises in the proportions of pupils gaining A*-G grades at GCSE. At the time of the last inspection, 73% of pupils gained 5 A*-G grades, in 2002 this had risen to 84% having hit 97% in 2001. The fall in 2002 was considerably because more pupils were given the chance to take examinations than in previous years. The proportion of pupils gaining Level 5 or higher, (the benchmark level for pupils aged 14) has also risen substantially since the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The extent to which the school has met its test and examination targets has been variable over the past two years. The school exceeded its targets in the 2001 National Curriculum tests in English, mathematics and science, but failed to meet them in all three subjects in 2002. GCSE targets were met in 2002 except for the proportion of pupils gaining 1A*-G grades. In 2001, targets were not met, except for the proportion of pupils gaining 1A*-G grades.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Attendance levels are poor and this means that a significant proportion of pupils do not achieve as well as they could. This is most noticeable in GCSE examinations because attendance declines progressively as pupils move through Years 7 to 11.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Boys and girls achieve similarly during Years 7 to 9 although boys achieve relatively less well in the National Curriculum tests in English. During Years 10 and 11, most girls maintain their progress but a significant proportion of boys underachieve. In 2002, 49% of girls gained five A*-C GCSE passes Eastbury Comprehensive School - 16 compared with 31% of the boys. The rise in the school’s GCSE results between 2001 and 2002 was largely due to the rise in girls’ results. 10. The problem of recruiting and retaining good quality teachers has adversely affected standards, particularly over the past two years. Good progress has been made on this issue and therefore the improvement in the quality of teaching is one of the reasons why examination and test results in some subjects are lower than the current quality of provision suggests they should be.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Although there are weaknesses in the provision for pupils with English as an additional language, they make satisfactory progress. Based on the school’s analysis of the 2002 GCSE examination results, pupils who have English as an additional language performed at a higher level than white pupils. Of the 36 pupils in Year 11 last year, twenty gained five or more A*-C grades. Analysis of data from the school’s own progress tracking system suggests that Year 10 pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, including those with English as an additional language, are making relatively more progress than white pupils. However, the teacher with this responsibility indicates that some pupils with English as an additional language are underachieving. For example, some Year 10 pupils are underachieving in science because they have been placed in lower ability sets when that scientific ability indicates that they are capable of working at a much higher level. No support is

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

available for pupils with English as an additional language in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. The school has only just started to analyse the relative progress of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. This element of its work needs considerable strengthening if it is to be sure that it is serving all pupils well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Provision for pupils with special education needs is satisfactory overall, but with many good innovations over the past year the picture is a rapidly improving one. Most pupils with statements of special education needs, helped by specialist teachers or learning support assistants, achieve well throughout the school and make good progress. Pupils who are on the register of special education needs but who do not have a statement make satisfactory progress by the end of Year 9 and good progress by the end of Year 11. Pupils who have emotional or behavioural difficulties often make good progress when supported by learning mentors. Subject teachers do not all plan carefully enough the work and approaches for pupils of different abilities and this is a factor where progress is satisfactory rather than good. Between Year 9 and Year 11 progress is generally good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. There is good provision in the school for pupils with a hearing impairment. While many of these pupils, because of their difficulties with hearing and language, attain at levels below the national average, their achievement is good . At the end of Year 9 some Unit pupils reach age-appropriate National Curriculum levels. By the age of sixteen, pupils achieve grades in GCSE subjects including some at Grades B and C., Unit pupils also gain qualifications in the Communicative Use of English for the Hearing-Impaired. A few pupils each year gain more advanced qualifications in the sixth form and go on to college or to University. At least one hearing impaired pupil is on the register of gifted and talented pupils. Pupils’ good achievement is supported by very good teaching by Unit teachers, high quality support from specialist learning support assistants and good cooperation from subject teachers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

15. Pupils do not achieve well enough in modern foreign languages, art and design and religious education. In modern foreign languages, some pupils experience very good teaching while for others it is unsatisfactory. The weaknesses in provision result in very few pupils taking the subject in Years 10 and 11. In art, a significant proportion of the teaching is unsatisfactory and not enough is done by the head of department to improve provision. Pupils achieve well in religious education in Years 7 to 9 but the curriculum in Years 10 and 11 does not enable them to meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

16. Pupils’ standard of reading is broadly average, despite little time being specially set aside for it. The library is poorly stocked with books, and current staffing difficulties mean that the Dawson site library is closed at the beginning and end of the school day, and the upper floor of the main site library, which includes the English stock, is not accessible to the pupils without supervision. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 borrow many more books than do those on the main site, although accurate loan rates were not available for the latter.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

17. Standards of speaking and listening are good. Good progress was observed among small groups of pupils with SEN in their reading, speaking and listening skills. Pupils with SEN had little opportunity Eastbury Comprehensive School - 17 to develop these skills when they were taught in whole classes. There has been improvement in speaking since the last inspection as more opportunities now exist for pupils to practise speaking in drama, the school council and assemblies.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

18. Standards of numeracy are average which enables pupils to take full advantage of the curriculum. However, not all schemes of work in subjects across the curriculum show how numeracy is to be developed and this means that opportunities to develop skills are missed.

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Sixth form

% 1997 - 8 1998 - 9 1999 - 00 2000 - 01 2001 - 02 A level 52 72 88 91 100 AS level (new) - - - 97 96 AVCE - - - 75 68 GNVQ Advanced 85 74 88 - - GNVQ Intermediate 65 53 64 80 92 GNVQ - Foundation - 66 57 40 48

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Sixth form

19. In recent years, too many pupils have failed to complete courses in the sixth form. The situation is improving, particularly in A and AS level courses but there remain concerns about the completion rate in vocational courses. The Excellence Challenge initiative includes tackling underachievement in the sixth form as a key strand.

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Sixth form

% 2000 - 01 2001 - 02 A level 85 95 AS level 66 52 AVCE 53 100 GNVQ Intermediate 54 56 GNVQ Foundation 80 50

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Sixth form

20. Examination pass rates are too low. Pass rates improved in 2002 but too many students failed AS level and GNVQ examinations. When linked with the failure of a significant proportion of students to complete courses, this represents unsatisfactory achievement.

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Sixth form

21. Standards seen during the inspection, the good quality of teaching and learning and the improving trend in the school’s performance suggest that theses problems are being overcome. Students are currently making at least satisfactory progress in most subjects in the sixth form.

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Sixth form

22. A level examinations are taken by a relatively small proportion of the sixth form, 24 students in 2002. The results in 2002 were the highest achieved by the school and the best in the borough; students achieved results that were appropriate for their abilities. The pass rate was above the national average and the students’ points scores were five points higher than in 2001 (a considerable margin). The results achieved by boys and girls are similar.

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Sixth form

23. AS level results in 2002 were disappointing, and lower than they should have been based on students’ prior attainment at GCSE The proportion of pass grades was lower than in 2001 which in turn was below the national average. The school recognises that the GCSE results of a significant minority of the students who took AS levels in 2002 indicated that they were not best suited to academic study in the sixth form.

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Sixth form

24. Even when students pass GNVQ examinations, very few of them gain merits or distinctions. The school has taken the decision to prioritise intermediate courses believing that these offer students worthwhile and achievable qualifications. Historic results are unsatisfactory, but the quality of teaching and learning is improving and the progress of students currently in the sixth form suggest that results will improve. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 18 25. Students with English as an additional language are given full access to courses in the sixth form. They are given no additional support which is unsatisfactory because some students do not have English language skills that reflect their intellectual capability. An example of this was seen in a Year 12 law lesson when some students were not able to read text fluently. The issue of students’ literacy skills is wider than just for those with English as an additional language. A significant

p.17

Sixth form

proportion of students in the sixth form do not have writing skills that enable them to achieve their potential in examinations. 26. In the sixth form, students with SEN make satisfactory progress; progress is slower when they are given no additional support. There are, however, examples of very good achievement, such as A grade passes and distinctions in art and design and design.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

27. Pupils continue to show the good attitudes and behaviour that were seen in the last inspection. These have a positive effect on standards and the quality of school life.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

28. Pupils’ attitudes are good and throughout the school, pupils show obvious enthusiasm when offered interesting challenges; pupils are eager to take part in most of the activities offered. Some of the best attitudes were seen in physical education, English, history and geography lessons and reflect the good quality of teaching. When teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject being taught, pupils respond keenly. When questions are interesting, pupils focus well and show their enthusiasm by good participation. An English lesson focused on “Holes,” the book about boot camps in Texas. The teacher read the book superbly and asked probing questions enabling pupils to express complex ideas, engage in productive arguments and write very perceptively.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

29. Some lessons inspire pupils to think deeply and become absorbed in moral dilemmas. This was a distinctive feature of some history lessons, for instance when pupils were asked to consider the plight of the newly emancipated black slaves in North America in the 19 th century. In most of the top sets, pupils are mature and hardworking and strongly committed to do their best by producing well presented, high quality work. Pupils who do not attend or refuse to come to school are clearly demonstrating negative attitudes. Missing school seriously hinders their learning and levels of achievement particularly during Years 10 and 11. Some Year 11 classes had very low attendance during the inspection.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

30. Behaviour is good in most lessons but where behaviour is unsatisfactory it reflects weaknesses in behaviour management; this was particularly evident in lessons taken by some of the newest teachers. A small proportion of pupils misbehave and disrupt lessons. They do not listen, have poor concentration and show frustration when they do not understand the work. Where a lesson’s learning objectives are unclear, pupils quickly lose interest and behaviour deteriorates.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

31. Behaviour outside the classroom is usually good. The breakfast club offers a calm and orderly start to the day when many pupils enjoy breakfast and being sociable before school. Behaviour between lessons has unsatisfactory elements, as pupils struggle noisily through narrow corridors and stairwells to get to their next lesson. Lunchtimes in the dining rooms are pleasant and sociable times where behaviour is good. However, much litter is strewn around tables and the floor despite nearby litterbins; this results in caretakers having to waste time every day clearing up unnecessary mess.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

32. Behaviour around the school buildings and in the playgrounds is generally good but a small number of boys in particular are loud, show signs of immaturity and are occasionally boisterous and argumentative. There is a low level of bullying which is dealt with very effectively. Racism seldom occurs. The large number of exclusions were given for persistent, extreme and unsafe behaviour. The exclusions reflect the national pattern for the various ethnic groups involved. The two permanent exclusions of girls, an unusually high number, were entirely appropriate.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

33. Relationships are very good. Most teachers speak positively to pupils and value all their efforts. Teachers are highly committed to their pupils and speak passionately about how much they want them to succeed. The atmosphere in most classrooms is happy and relaxed and mutual respect is apparent. Pupils listen well to their teachers, follow instructions and enjoy praise for good work and effort. Pupils are usually friendly, helpful and courteous. All pupils, including boys and girls and ethnic minority pupils, enjoy being with one another in a harmonious school community. Pupils from Eastbury Comprehensive School - 19 various ethnic heritage confirmed how happy they are that others recognize and admire their differences and how there is good understanding of the values, feelings and beliefs of others. The hearing impaired pupils are very well supported by their peers.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

34. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. The school’s priority to develop pupils’ accountability for their own learning is beginning to achieve results. Pupils are more aware of their academic and personal targets and follow the guidance they are given to improve; most do their homework. Some of the top set pupils are given good opportunities to develop their independent learning skills when they are set tasks involving research and when they are challenged to apply their knowledge in new situations. Pupils complained that they did not use the library very much because there are too few relevant books.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

35. In physical education lessons, a common feature was the impressive development of independent learning. Pupils often plan their own tasks, critically evaluate their own and others’ performances to create greater challenge and better skills development. Where lessons are tightly controlled, pupils’ opportunities to make choices to observe, to question or to investigate are restricted. This was a more evident weakness in lessons for lower ability sets.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

36. There are some opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility, which they do willingly and conscientiously. The pupil receptionists are helpful guides to visitors. Lower school pupils told of the great time they had at their residential trip to the outdoor activity centre in Wales and how much they learned away from school and home. Pupils felt that their work experience opened their eyes and made them take much greater responsibility for their own actions and the consequences. Pupils really benefit socially when they take part in sports and drama activities. In the rehearsals taking place for the next production pupils were really enjoying performing and taking part. The school council has been re-established and is giving pupils a “voice” in school. Pupils are keen to improve the toilets and the range of food available but many pupils did not know what was going on and questioned channels of communication.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

37. Attendance remains poor and is still well below the national level. Unauthorised absence is four times the national rate and is unacceptably high. The attendance of the oldest pupils in Years 10 and 11 gives greatest cause for concern when in some weeks 15 % of pupils are absent and much of this is unauthorised. Improving attendance is a high priority for the school and effective action has resulted in an overall 2 % gain in attendance this year. Absence remains a serious issue and one of the most important factors resulting in the poor attainment levels of too many pupils. An analysis of the latest GCSE results clearly shows a direct correlation between poor results and poor attendance. There is strong evidence of casual absences especially on Fridays and many of these are unauthorised. Some pupils move away from the school and do not let the school know. Pupils are kept on roll until their whereabouts are known and this exacerbates the absence picture even

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

more. The taking of holidays in term time accounts for some absence but it is not a major factor.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

38. Punctuality on arrival at school is unsatisfactory. A significant proportion of pupils are persistently late. Many pupils dawdle into school after the start time and show few signs of urgency to get to registration. Some pupils also show no urgency about getting to their lessons which means that lessons often do not have prompt and punctual start times. The time erosion can take up to eight minutes off some lessons and this hinders learning. There is evidence of a small amount of truancy and effective steps are being taken to stamp it out.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

39. Pupils throughout the school have very good attitudes to classmates who have special education needs; these pupils are fully included in the life of the school. For example, there is a “signing” choir which consists mainly of pupils without hearing impairment; they, and audiences at school concerts, very much enjoy the activity.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

40. Pupils in the hearing impairment unit have good attitudes and behave well; they are confident in the mainstream situation but also have excellent relationships within the hearing impaired base, which help them to achieve well.

p.19

Sixth form

41. Sixth Form students have very positive attitudes towards their work and their school life and really enjoy the new sixth form centre and the luxurious accommodation it offers. The students’ Eastbury Comprehensive School - 20 questionnaire gave a high response rate of 78 % and indicates that most students were pleased with most aspects of the sixth form especially the induction arrangements, the opportunities to work independently, the very good teaching and helpful staff. Most take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the school to demonstrate maturity, self discipline and A level students in particular show high levels of commitment to their studies and future aspirations.

p.19

Sixth form

42. Behaviour in most lessons is good. Students are hard working and sensible; they feel ready and well prepared for the next stage of their education when they transfer from the main school. The A level groups do all that is asked of them and some use their initiative to do more. They ask searching questions to deepen their knowledge and make accurate deductions based on good evidence and logical thinking. 43. The behaviour and attitudes of students in the GNVQ groups are quite different. There is a more casual attitude to attendance; for example, in the ICT GNVQ group in Year 12, students claimed that their classmates “were bunking off” and a student walked in at 11.40 am as she had overslept. Two students have been excluded for persistently misbehaving and would not co-operate, even under peer pressure (which was confirmed by some colleagues).

p.20

Sixth form

44. Relationships are very good. Teachers treat students as young adults and the students really appreciate the strong working partnerships they have. Teachers go out of their way to help students with their work and often do this in their own time. Students’ personal development is good when students take advantage of the opportunities available. Students have good social skills and most are confident and well motivated young people. They have good self-discipline and can be relied on to work at school and at home.

p.20

Sixth form

45. Students are keen to take on responsibility and some enjoy being paired up in a local shared reading scheme with local primary schools. Another group with a particular interest in the elderly are working with Age Concern to help form a “Senior Citizens Club” in the community. Sixth formers organise sporting events for their sports leadership qualification, drama and musical events and foreign trips to places like Italy. The “Insight into Management” project challenges students to work out solutions to a business problem; students create exhibits and do high quality presentations to invited audiences. This was aptly described as a real “turning point” for those that took part last year and it was an event that strongly supported their personal development.

p.20

Sixth form

46. Attendance in the sixth form is generally good in Year 13 but, in Year 12, there are a small number of students who either have not turned up for their courses or who have patchy attendance. The overall attendance rate is unsatisfactory. Registration is by signing in on arrival and staff comparing lesson logs to check attendance registers retrospectively. This is unusual practice but it does indicate that the school is aware of who is attending their lessons and how punctual they are.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

47. In the 155 lessons seen in Years 7 to 11, the quality of teaching was satisfactory or better in 92%, good or better in 56% and very good or excellent in 21%; The proportions of satisfactory or better teaching and or very good teaching or excellent teaching are higher than at the time of the last inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

48. The improvement in the quality of teaching is impressive given the problems that the school has had in recruiting and retaining staff. Much credit is due for the success of senior managers in recruiting effective teachers particularly over the past year. The strength of the induction arrangements for teachers has also helped new and temporary teachers to succeed.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

49. The quality of teaching by unqualified teachers is variable. Some of them have raised the quality of teaching in their subjects considerably, for example, in chemistry. Others have enhanced provision because they have brought commercial experience with them, for example in food technology. The proportion of unsatisfactory teaching is higher among unqualified staff than among the rest of the staff but the school has done well to reduce it by carefully monitoring the quality of their work. Staff who are judged to be not teaching effectively are given guidance about how to improve but if improvement does not take place their contracts are appropriately terminated. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 21 50. The development of teaching and learning is one of three key areas identified in the improvement plan. This focus is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Teachers are making the purpose of

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

lessons clearer and this is improving pupils’ motivation to learn by helping them to understand why they are being asked to perform various tasks. Also, teachers are giving more attention to meeting the needs of different groups of pupils. This is mostly effective, but further emphasis needs to be given to providing challenging experiences for more able pupils.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

51. Teachers are knowledgeable and have a good understanding of how to teach their subjects. They expect pupils to produce work of a good standard in most subjects, but expectations of pupils in modern foreign languages, art and design and music are too low. Teachers have very good relationships with the pupils and this, together with appropriate whole school rewards and sanctions, helps ensure good order in the great majority of lessons.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

52. Pupils do not learn as well at they should in modern foreign languages and art. In both subjects the quality of teaching is too variable. Some teachers are very effective while others have difficulty managing classes and do not plan work well enough to keep the interest and concentration of the pupils. The new head of modern foreign languages is working hard to tackle deficiencies but the same energy is not being shown in art.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

53. The school is right to prioritise the development of pupils’ independent learning skills. This is already having an impact but pupils need further encouragement to take responsibility for their progress. A major obstacle to the success of the strategy is the unsatisfactory library provision on both sites.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

54. The growth in ICT provision is having a very positive impact on pupils’ learning in ICT but most other subjects are not making sufficient use of it. Statutory requirements for the use of ICT to promote pupils’ learning are not met in English, modern foreign languages, art, music and religious education. While access to equipment is not ideal, computer suites are not fully used.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

55. The teaching of PSHE is unsatisfactory. The scheme of work is well-conceived but not all tutors ensure that they teach it. This is partly because tutoring also takes place in PSHE lessons owing to the limited tutor time available each morning. In a Year 9 lesson, the teacher’s expectations of the pupils were too low and lesson planning inadequate. Pupils were given a worksheet and told nothing about why they were doing it. The less able disengaged and little progress was made. In the meantime the teacher used the time going round signing homework diaries. Some tutors teach the PSHE programme very well and by doing so give a very good service to their tutor groups.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

56. It is not clear – nor is it clear to some of the tutors – how or what they are to teach in sex education. Tutors themselves admit to having no formal training in sex or drugs education yet are expected to teach and advise on these matters. The current year’s sex education programme has yet to be taught and a training session has been programmed.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

57. The Saturday morning school funded by the education action zone supports pupils with English as an additional language and their families well. Some of the sessions are for pupils only while the rest of the sessions are open to all; this enables parents to understand what their children are learning and helps them to develop their own language skills too. This provision helps to develop partnerships between the Eastbury, its feeder primary schools and families.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

58. The quality of teaching for pupils with SEN in the lower school is satisfactory. Some less experienced teachers do not have sufficient knowledge of methods for teaching pupils with SEN in small groups. More training, teaching materials and appropriate support from senior staff are needed. Some subject teachers deliver high quality lessons which benefit pupils of all abilities, but others fail to plan specifically for special needs pupils, relying on the learning support assistants to adapt and interpret the lesson.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

59. The quality of teaching for pupils with SEN in the upper school is generally good but work is not always carefully matched to the needs of different ability groups within the class. Throughout the school the quality of Individual Education Plans is variable and often unsatisfactory. Because targets are not specific and measurable they are not as useful as they should be and are little used by subject teachers. Targets are not reviewed frequently enough and are not making the impact on pupils’ progress which they could and should make. Some pupils are aware of their targets, others Eastbury Comprehensive School - 22 are not. Insufficient progress has been made on the quality and use of Individual Education Plans since the last inspection, although some of the most recent plans are of a higher quality.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

60. The quality of teaching in the hearing impairment unit is very good. Teachers have a very good knowledge of methods appropriate for pupils with hearing difficulties; they keep up to date with subject knowledge over a broad range of subjects, liaise well with parents and subject teachers and develop good relationships which help maintain pupil confidence and high motivation. There is very good co-operation with support assistants, who make a very valuable contribution to pupils’ education. High quality assessment and recording ensure that planning for lessons and tutorial sessions is effective and efficient. Individual Education Plan targets, however, need to be more specific and focus on what pupils are to know, understand and be able to do. The very good teaching leads to good and sometimes very good progress.

p.22

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

61. Strategies for teaching literacy skills are good and effective. The literacy co-ordinator has been energetic in organising training, disseminating information, and encouraging all staff to teach literacy skills whenever possible. Progress is subject to regular monitoring and review. She has been central to the organisation of successive summer schools, and more recently a “Summer Challenge” available for all new entrants to the school, this being a literacy programme which can be conducted at home. In this scheme and in other ways she has been successful in involving parents in helping their children to improve their reading and writing. Also successful has been her liaison with Year 6 teachers in the primary schools, whose work is directly continued when their pupils come to Eastbury.

p.22

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

62. Few pupils are hampered in their learning because they cannot understand the language they encounter; however, the classroom support for pupils with English as an additional language is not extensive enough and this impedes their progress. Teachers vary in how far they adopt the literacy strategy and see that literacy receives the appropriate priority. Teachers in modern foreign languages and English encourage pupils to consider the grammatical structure of sentences, and in history pupils are well guided in how to structure a written answer. The words that pupils will need to use most frequently are displayed in most classrooms. Most teachers correct spelling and other literacy errors. The inadequate library provision on both sites is an obstacle to the improvement of pupils’ literacy.

p.22

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

63. The whole-school provision for numeracy is still in the developmental stage. A training day for all subject teachers was recently held. A follow up cross-curricular audit and further training in response the guidance in the numeracy handbook is planned. There is a school numeracy policy, but not all subjects’ schemes of work or planning documents make reference to numeracy skills. As a result it is certain that some opportunities to extend and develop numeracy skills when they are encountered in subjects are missed. At present the head of mathematics is nominally responsible for co-coordinating whole-school numeracy, but has insufficient available time to monitor numeracy provision within subjects.

p.22

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

64. The thinking skills and citizenship courses have been well planned and they are well taught. They make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning and personal development.

p.22

Sixth form

65. In the 40 lessons seen in the sixth form, the quality of teaching was satisfactory or better in 95%, good or better in 73% and very good or excellent in 30%.

p.22

Sixth form

66. Nine subjects were chosen as the central focus for the inspection. The quality of teaching is very good in chemistry; good in English, mathematics, design and technology, ICT and geography; and satisfactory in art and design and French.

p.22

Sixth form

67. Teachers have a good knowledge of their subjects. They plan lessons and schemes of work well, expect students to produce work of an appropriate standard and use effective teaching methods. In the great majority of lessons, teaching is pitched at a level that makes students think and work hard.

p.22

Sixth form

68. Students learn well in most subjects because of the good quality of the teaching and because the great majority have positive attitudes to their courses. Attitudes of students on GNVQ courses are Eastbury Comprehensive School - 23 not as positive as those on A and AS level courses. A good illustration of this is in the casual attitude of some of them about their arrival time in school. A Year 12 GNVQ engineering lesson, beginning at 10 o’clock, was substantially disrupted because one student arrived 10 minutes late and two others, 20 minutes late.

p.22

Sixth form

69. Examination results over recent years have been unsatisfactory because too many students have failed examinations or have failed to complete courses, particularly vocational courses. A discrepancy therefore occurs between these results and the good quality of teaching seen during the inspection. The explanation appears to be that, in the past, too many students have been recruited onto courses for which they are unsuited.

p.23

Sixth form

70. There were indications in some subjects, for example, law and ICT, that the English skills of some students from minority ethnic backgrounds were lower than their intellectual abilities. They do not receive specific support, which may impede their progress.

p.23

Sixth form

71. Key Skills are taught through the ASDAN scheme. Good provision is made here through teaching based at school and external opportunities such as the ‘Insight into Management’ scheme. The development of ICT skills appropriately has a high priority and students’ learning is considerably enhanced by the ICT research facilities in the sixth form centre.

p.23

Sixth form

72. Teachers commit themselves well to enrichment activities for the sixth form. They offer a good range of options some of which lead to qualifications such as the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and the community sports leader award.

p.23

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

73. Overall, the curriculum is satisfactory and provides an adequate range of learning opportunities. The increase in compliance with the National Curriculum in Years 7 to 9 is a good improvement since the last inspection. In Years 10 and 11 the curriculum is satisfactory. In addition to GCSE courses, the school has begun to offer vocational courses in design and technology, leisure and tourism, business and ICT. Improvement planning establishes good links between curriculum provision and the quality of teaching and learning. This has further identified the need for work-related learning and real-life contexts in subject areas. A small percentage of pupils receive an appropriate alternative curriculum at Barking College.

p.23

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

74. Unsatisfactory curriculum time allocation identified in the last inspection has largely been eliminated. Changes have been made to the timing of the school day and movement between the two sites has been considerably improved. However, the school still does not meet the requirements for a daily act of worship or for the provision for modern languages and religious education in Years 10 and 11. Time provision is further reduced when assemblies are timetabled in subject periods and form tutors make-up for a lack of administrative time in their PSHE lessons. Banding arrangements, identified as adversely effecting low-achieving pupils’ self-esteem and performances in the last inspection, have been improved.

p.23

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

75. Overall, there is satisfactory equality of access and opportunity. Some areas such as physical education and ICT extend opportunities by offering a good range of extra-curricular activities. Good integration of pupils occurs in the hearing impaired unit’s choir where pupils, with and without hearing impairment, use sign language while singing. There is limited extra-curricular provision in other subject areas. Educational visits improve learning in history and the deployment of national Key Stage 3 strategies improve the key learning skills for pupils in Years 7 to 9. Curriculum arrangements in English means there are mainly girls in the top sets; this is reflected in the difference in girls and boys standards. ICT is not used well enough to promote learning or to meet National Curriculum requirements in English, modern foreign languages, art, music and religious education. In science, the lack of equipment for data logging prevents pupils from making progress

p.23

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

76. The great majority of pupils with English as an additional language are able to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the curriculum but they are not given enough support in class and this impedes their progress. Also, teachers do not make enough use of the school’s information about Eastbury Comprehensive School - 24 pupils’ progress to analyse how well pupils with English as an additional language are progressing and how to adapt curriculum plans to best meet their needs.

p.23

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

77. The school has made a satisfactory start in creating an extended programme for gifted and talented pupils. Initiatives include in-house training for staff, mentoring of selected pupils and extended studies and visits in specific departments. Pupils have participated in art, science and language summer schools and successfully applied for borough bursary awards that give insights into community and business life. A group of pupils participate in the Cambridge Latin on-line project and visit Cambridge University as part of this experience. Inspection findings show inconsistencies in the planning in the mainstream curriculum to challenge these more able pupils.

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

78. The school curriculum policy reflects the positive links being established within the neighbourhood and with local employers. A recent joint appointment in the physical education department is presently in the stage of planning for specialist community coaching provision to enhance learning. A visiting dance specialist is successfully developing this provision. Vocational provision in learning is enhanced by effective liaison between design and technology staff, local agencies and higher education. Provision in English and geography has been improved by effective collaboration with local education authority personnel. 79. Good links with feeder primary schools mean that pupils are well prepared for their move to Eastbury. Collaboration with four local feeder schools as part of the education action zone remit has improved communication and trust between staff and further ensured continuity in pupils’

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

learning. Local Year 6 pupils visit the school prior to commencing their education in Year 7. In the summer of 2002 the education action zone ran a very successful day in which a dance company worked with pupils from all the schools to create a joint performance; this was thoroughly enjoyed by the pupils and well received by parents.

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

80. The careers education and guidance provided is satisfactory overall with strengths and weaknesses. The strengths lie in the planned programme that starts in Year 8 with the “Real Game” which combines careers education and citizenship well. The focus in Year 9 for two whole terms on options choices helps pupils to make the right choice of GCSE and GNVQ courses based on pupils’ interests, talents and aspirations. The arrangements for the preparation for work experience are good and the debriefs indicate some very positive experiences. Activity and Ace days enrich the programme when past students and local companies, groups and colleges visit and share their experience well. The school meets the statutory requirements for pupils with special education needs for their transition reviews and follow up plans.

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

81. The Year 11 careers programme includes guidance on post 16 choices but only half of the year group receive a formal interview with the careers advisor to map out their career path. The pupils who go onto the 6 th form usually do not receive the same quality of professional guidance. These pupils have to rely on attending a “drop in” session with the careers advisor. When pupils were asked about this, most did not know about this opportunity and consequently the take up was low. Better communication was called for by pupils at this important time in their lives. The other weakness in careers education is the reliance on tutors to deliver the programme as part of the teaching time for PSHE. Some tutors use this time for other pastoral purposes and there is a risk that the programme will not be taught as planned.

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

82. PSHE is timetabled throughout Years 7 to 11. Subjects are covered in 7 or 8 week blocks to include careers, health education, emergency awareness, drugs education, social/moral issues, citizenship (taught discretely), study skills, sex and relationships education. PSHE time is used by some tutors, by their own admission, to ‘catch up’ on administrative tasks while ‘occupying’ the students with written tasks or worksheets; this is an unsatisfactory situation.

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

83. Overall, sex and drugs education is barely satisfactory. Sex education is taught in Year 8 and Year 9 where the main focus is relationships and contraception. There is nothing planned in Years 10 and 11 and a number of pupils suggested that the school did not do enough to help them in this area. Drugs education is taught in Year 10 for a whole half term but pupils were unable to describe what they had been taught. Part of the problem here is that some tutors do not take their responsibilities for teaching PSHE as seriously as their other subject responsibilities. As a result, completion of the PSHE curriculum is patchy. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 25 84. The thinking skills course makes a valuable contribution to the curriculum. It is well planned and challenges pupils to think and to develop problem solving techniques. Pupils in Year 8 were able to recall what they had learned on the course in Year 7 which illustrates the positive impression that it

p.24

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

85. The school has an inclusive approach to pupils with special education needs. Most support takes place within the class groups. The withdrawal groups in each year are proving to be a successful innovation and pupils benefit from a period of time in a smaller class taught by skilled and sympathetic specialist subject teachers. The use of learning mentors and a social inclusion mentor is proving beneficial to a number of pupils who are at risk of becoming disaffected or whose attendance is erratic. Pupils are helped to keep up with work and to rejoin their ordinary class with support. The attendance of some pupils has improved considerably since mentoring began.

p.25

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

86. Pupils in the hearing impairment unit have good access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. Sensible decisions have been made to give them more time to learn language-based subjects; for example, they may be withdrawn from French to give tutorial time for other subjects. Informal sessions at the start of the day, at break times and at homework club after school, all help pupils improve their skills. Appropriate alternative examinations in English are available at the end of Year 11, specifically for hearing-impaired pupils, and there is provision for supporting the curriculum through British Sign Language, although this is currently not needed by any pupil. There is a very good balance of work in the main school and support in the hearing impaired base, and any withdrawal from ordinary class lessons is thoughtfully planned.

p.25

Sixth form

87. The sixth form curriculum has a satisfactory range of AS and A level courses that enable students to build on their learning from previous years. In addition there is a developing vocation-based curriculum in ICT, intermediate and foundation GNVQ and BTEC National courses.

p.25

Sixth form

88. The school has been successfully involved in ‘Excellence in Cities’ initiatives looking at appropriate curriculum strategies in light of Curriculum 2000 recommendations. As a result it is well aware of the need for the curriculum to respond to local circumstances. Timetabling has improved since the last inspection to give an improved range of options and to match the curriculum more to students’ needs. Present progress in learning is made more difficult in a number of subject areas because of low time allocation. The school has begun to take the necessary actions to remedy these issues. The school is also aware of the need for further direction to manage the necessary vocational expansion in the sixth form in order to improve the curriculum further. This is especially the case for extended course developments and for the improvement in recruitment and retention of students into viable group sizes.

p.25

Sixth form

89. The arrangements for the teaching of religious education are unsatisfactory and do not fulfil the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. The school also does not meet the statutory requirement for a daily act of collective worship.

p.25

Sixth form

90. The sixth form is a registered key skills centre through the ASDAN awarding body and has timetabled provision for both gold and university awards. Skills are well highlighted in a range of subject planning and developed in community placements and as part of an enriching ‘Insight to Management’ scheme. ICT is practiced in both awards and further developed through the Cisco Academy and by individual student research in the excellent suites provided at the centre. Students make good use of their new logbooks to monitor their progress.

p.25

Sixth form

91. There is a good programme of enrichment activities. Students are involved in Duke of Edinburgh and water-based life saving schemes. A good citizenship focus is achieved in community activities for local senior citizens and paired reading in primary schools. Local agencies are used as part of a business enterprise group and students who follow the community sports leader award also have significant involvement in local initiatives. Students participating in these schemes during the inspection were very enthusiastic about these opportunities. These schemes do not presently extend to Year 13.

p.25

PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (spiritual, moral, social and cultural)

Eastbury Comprehensive School - 26 92. The provision for pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. The school’s emphasis on encouraging ‘respect, ambition and achievement’ provides a supportive context for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Relationships in the school are very good, and the commitment and attitudes of staff set a positive example for pupils. Although teachers do use some opportunities that arise in the classroom to promote pupils’ personal development, most departments in their planning do not identify ways in which their subject can contribute to this aspect of pupils’ education.

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PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (spiritual, moral, social and cultural)

93. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is unsatisfactory, although there has been some improvement since the last inspection. Assemblies are very carefully prepared and encourage pupils to think deeply about fundamental issues. However, the arrangement by which assemblies are held in lesson time on a rotating basis is unsatisfactory and the school is rightly planning to change this. Opportunities to develop spiritual awareness and insights are provided in subjects such as religious education, geography and science. However, the lack of planned provision in most subjects leads to missed opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual development.

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PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (spiritual, moral, social and cultural)

94. The school continues to make good provision for moral education. The code of conduct and daily routine of the school successfully promote positive values and help pupils distinguish right from wrong. Useful discussion of ethical issues and moral dilemmas takes place in a number of subjects. In English, for example, moral themes in set texts, such as wickedness in Macbeth, are well handled. In science the ethics of gene control and manipulation are carefully explored.

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PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (spiritual, moral, social and cultural)

95. Social education has improved and is now good. Pupils have opportunities to develop social and collaborative skills in many of their lessons, for example when working in pairs or small groups. The school’s arrangements for teaching citizenship both as a discrete subject and through other subjects mean that pupils have good opportunities to develop an understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Opportunities for pupils to participate in various aspects of school life where they can take on responsibilities and show initiative are increasing. The recently revived School Council, for example, enables pupils to contribute to decisions about facilities in the school and influence school policies.

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PUPILS’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (spiritual, moral, social and cultural)

96. The school’s contribution to pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory and has improved since the last inspection. Opportunities to learn about different cultures are provided in many subjects. In the humanities, for example, work on contrasting societies, both past and present, enhances pupils’ cultural awareness. However, insufficient planned opportunities for pupils to explore the attitudes, values and traditions of different cultures hold back pupils’ learning in this area. The school’s programme of extra-curricular enables pupils to extend their interests and horizons, particularly through participation in physical education activities such as martial arts, dance and trampolining. Pupils are also given some opportunities to take part in educational visits and in trips abroad.

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Sixth form

97. Pupils’ personal development is fostered well in the sixth form. Spiritual provision is satisfactory although there are weaknesses. The provision for religious education does not meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus as not all pupils have the opportunity of studying the subject; this reduces the opportunities for students’ spiritual development. The innovative lotus room is a valuable resource; it gives students a place for reflection or worship away from the working and social areas.

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Sixth form

98. Moral and social provision are very good. The organisation of the sixth form centre which offers students the opportunity to make constructive decisions about how they work and socialise is very valuable, as is the expectation that students will respect the high quality fabric and learning resources that have been provided. The pastoral support students are given, the role models of staff, the enrichment programme and the involvement of sixth form students in the school council are also ways in which students are encouraged to develop their moral awareness and social skills.

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Sixth form

99. Cultural provision is satisfactory. In the enrichment programme students are given opportunities to develop their cultural awareness, for example, through the demands of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. However, students do not necessarily have the confidence to celebrate their own cultures, particularly if they feel that these are not compatible with current fashions. The school has a task to Eastbury Comprehensive School - 27 do here if the richness of culture represented by sixth form students’ heritage and skills is to become a source of pride.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

100. The school continues to take good care of its pupils and this improves the effectiveness of the teaching and the learning. The strong relationships that are fostered throughout the school community ensure that pupils feel safe and secure and always have someone to turn to for help and support. Parents at their pre-inspection meeting and pupils confirmed high levels of confidence that staff would help pupils who were troubled or worried. The withdrawal groups support individual pupils experiencing a range of difficulties very well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

101. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are satisfactory overall. Some of the procedures are good but lower school registers are completed in pencil which infringes the statutory requirements for recording attendance. The school has taken some very effective action to improve attendance and this has resulted in a significant 2% increase in attendance levels this year. Despite the good impact of the new procedures the attendance of too many pupils is poor and the school is not receiving sufficient support from the local access and attendance service to help improve attendance further.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

102. The school attendance manager diligently monitors attendance; she has been able to pinpoint truancy and is taking action to minimize it. The Friday detentions have already helped to drastically improve punctuality in the lower school and there are plans to extend these detentions to the upper school shortly to improve the poor punctuality of older pupils. There is clear evidence that when learning mentors help to address the wider educational, social and emotional needs of some disaffected pupils, their attendance and learning improves dramatically and this is highly commendable.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

103. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are good. There are clear expectations for behaviour and the majority of pupils behave well. Most staff, including new teachers, try to consistently and deliberately praise good behaviour and create a positive and productive ethos. Careful attention is paid to pupils who have difficulty behaving well in the classroom and the support plans usually help them improve. Behavioural incidents are logged in the new computer-based recording system and can be easily tracked. These show when persistently bad behaviour leads to fixed term and ultimately permanent exclusions, which the school uses as a last resort. Records indicate that, although the rate of exclusion is high, correct use is made of this sanction. The school provides a secure environment where instances of bullying and harassment are dealt with promptly and very effectively. The new racial equality policy meets the latest requirements to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

consider opposition to all forms of discrimination. The school has taken this a step further by setting up an inclusion working party to promote equal opportunities and even greater harmony in the ethnically diverse school population. This is an example of good practice.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

104. The arrangements for child protection are satisfactory overall and meet all the statutory requirements. Communication in the lower school, however, needs improvement in order to let all relevant staff know how to support pupils. The designated persons who are the heads of upper and lower school are shortly to undergo training to update them and thereafter the school, on the new legislation. The arrangements for pupils in foster care are also satisfactory but again, communications between the school, foster home and social services need improvement to ensure that the recommended pupil education plans are put in place quickly and effectively.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

105. The school has not yet tackled all the health and safety issues identified in the last inspection report. There has been no specific health and safety training in whole school risk assessment for senior managers to enable them to know how to manage safety well. Although the school carries out routine checking and servicing and risk assessments, record keeping is inconsistent and does not follow good practice. The school has been notified about the issues raised. Internet security is very good as pupils are not able to access unsuitable websites.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

106. There are an inadequate number of trained first aiders to provide the recommended coverage in case of accidents. Welfare facilities for pupils who become ill while at school are poor in the lower school. Pupils whose parents are unable to pick them up are left in the open reception area with Eastbury Comprehensive School - 28 little comfort or privacy. The school caters well for pupils with medical conditions and uses the school nurse effectively for advice and training in how to deal with severe allergies and particular pupil health problems.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

107. The procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are good. Head of year group audits reveal that form tutors are checking the use of the new planners, behaviour, attendance, punctuality and personal targets progress. When pupils stay with the same tutor throughout their time at school, this enables close relationships to develop and many pupils spoke glowingly of their tutors and how helpful and supportive they are. The weakness in the tutor system is the inconsistent use of registration and PSHE time. Some tutors use this teaching time for pastoral purposes and the PSHE programme is therefore not always taught. This hinders pupils’ personal development and asks questions about whether aspects of statutory provision such as sex education are fully available to all pupils. The induction of new Year 7 pupils and of the high number of pupils who join the school at other times is good and pupils are able to quickly settle down into

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

108. Pupils’ relationships with staff, including teachers, support assistants and mentors are a strength of the school and contribute to a good standard of care for SEN pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

109. The school is working well with the local education authority’s hearing impaired base and pupils are benefiting from improved relationships and co-operation over the past year since new management structures have been put in place by the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

110. Overall, the assessment of pupils’ academic attainment and progress is satisfactory. The school has a good, clear policy on assessment for learning, with guidance on the roles of departments, teachers, heads of year, form tutors and pupils. However, it is inconsistently put into practice. 111. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good. There is an efficient system of recording appropriate information on pupils’ attainment when they enter the school and at the end of Years 9 and 11. This information is well supplemented with assessment data from subject areas in each year. All pupils are assessed against National Curriculum criteria in Years 7 to 9 and against GCSE criteria in Years 10 and 11. The data is used effectively to track the progress of individual pupils and identify any underachievement. Underachieving pupils are effectively identified in different categories, such as “coasting” or “dropping off the pace” or “failing to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

make sufficient progress” or “wobbling towards 5 A*-C”. The record-keeping of pupils’ attainment is good and pupils’ work is marked regularly by subject teachers.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

112. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress are satisfactory. Targets for improvement are set for all pupils across all subjects based on previous attainment. The system allows for targets in all subjects to be recorded in pupils’ planners, but the practice is inconsistent. In science, the use of assessment information for the setting of targets is good. Targets are set for pupils in levels or grades as appropriate and regularly updated in the light of progress. In ICT and history, pupils have a detailed awareness of their levels of performance. There is good practice in ICT also with regard to target setting. Targets set by senior management are supplemented by departmental targets relating to pass, merit, or distinction. The same department provides effective help in raising standards by assessing work in detail each week and monitoring progress each half term in order to ensure accuracy and the maintenance of a high level of support. However, across

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

other subjects, pupils have at best only a general awareness of the level at which they are working. In mathematics, the difficulties of carefully monitoring the progress of pupils have been compounded by staffing problems within the department.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

113. Analysis of pupils’ progress by different sub-groups is unsatisfactory. The school produces data relating to the progress of ethnic minority groups, but it is not widely shared. Teachers do not make use of such information to help them plan their lessons. The information is not used to help the school to take specific action to improve the achievement of particular pupils. In science, for example, a constructive analysis is made of the strengths and weaknesses of groups of pupils through discussion with them, and modifications are made to schemes of work as an on-going process; however, some pupils with English as an additional language in Year 10 are placed in lower sets in science than their academic ability merits.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

114. The use of assessment information to guide curricular planning is very good in ICT, but unsatisfactory in art, where the planning is weak. In other subjects, teachers are beginning to Eastbury Comprehensive School - 29 develop ways of using results in the different components of GCSE examinations in order to help their planning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

115. Pupils’ special needs are effectively identified and their attainment and progress generally well monitored. However, the quality, use and review of individual education plans for those pupils who have statements of special need or the intervention of outside specialists, require improvement. There are good administrative systems in place. The SEN register is properly maintained and the school has regard to the latest guidance and code of practice. The provision named on the statement is made and support is identified and deployed – there are occasional delays and shortages of specialist therapy support as is common nationwide. Annual reviews are planned and carried out; however, they do not give sufficient information about the progress of pupils towards their targets; and reviews for pupils aged 14 and over have, over the past year, lacked the statutory advice from careers advisors; a number of reviews remain incomplete in other respects. The lack of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

careers advice has now been remedied and it will be in place for forthcoming fourteen-plus reviews.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

116. On arrival, pupils with English as an additional language have their skills and knowledge in mathematics, science and English assessed by the local education authority; pupils then spend varying periods of time at the authority’s induction centre according to the results of their assessment before joining the mainstream school. Their performance is translated into National Curriculum levels and, as for other pupils in the school, they are set performance targets to achieve. In Years 10 and 11, GCSE grade targets are set. Some pupils are identified for special in-class support and specific learning targets are set and monitored by the support teacher. In-class support, mainly in English lessons, is provided by a teacher from the local education authority’s language support service. Good support relating to a lesson’s key words is given. Pupils make satisfactory progress. A clear explanation of the learning objectives at the beginning of a lesson

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

helps pupils to learn more effectively. Good support and co-operation are given by the teacher responsible for the school’s provision for pupils with SEN. . 117. Arrangements for setting pupils appropriately are not satisfactory. The school has records of the performance of all pupils, but analysis of the progress of pupils with English as an additional language as a group is insufficiently detailed to ensure that their needs are always met fully. Access to the school’s records by the LEA support service teacher has much improved.

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Advice, support and guidance

118. The school provides effective guidance and support for sixth form students starting at the end of summer term in Year 11. The sixth form brochure is well written and gives a full picture of what to expect. Students are interviewed and have two full days to get a real feel for life in the sixth form in the various departments. Very good relationships develop quickly with the tutors they stay with them throughout their time in the sixth form. Staff know students well enough to detect difficulties and loss of motivation and help to take action, often in conjunction with parents, to help students cope with the various pressures.

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Advice, support and guidance

119. The real issue students raised in their questionnaire was about personal guidance. They felt that the head of sixth form and some subject teachers are approachable and could help sort out issues especially if students have known the teachers for a long time. But, with new teachers, students do not feel close enough to them to share personal information. The head of sixth form is very approachable and works hard to support students. Students receive good pastoral care.

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Advice, support and guidance

120. The careers education and guidance for A level students is good. This is being developed under the Excellence Challenge initiative to become even stronger, for example, by increasing contacts with universities. GNVQ students fall between the upper school and sixth form systems and some do not get the help and attention they need. Most current sixth form students, when they were in Year 11, did not have a careers adviser interview and no formal action plan was drawn up with a clear career pathway. In the sixth form, the careers focus is on university entrance. The GNVQ students have to rely on attending a ‘drop in’ service, which some students had not even heard of. The careers adviser confirmed that sixth formers do not attend her clinics and poor communication was cited. The arrangements for these students are unsatisfactory. This may partly account for some of the “drop out” rate seen in Year 12 last year. Students either did not attend, changed courses to

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Advice, support and guidance

Eastbury Comprehensive School - 30 local colleges or drifted off to work during the year rather than stay on GNVQ courses they were unsure about.

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Advice, support and guidance

121. Some Year 12 students that were spoken to during the inspection had very little formal careers guidance. All AS students usually fill in the “UCAS course finder questionnaire” and this generates subjects and courses that students had not even considered with follow up interviews with the Careers Officer. By the time students reach Year 13, they are very happy with the helpful guidance they receive to enable them to confidently apply for higher education. The Careers forum when many companies and other groups set up workshops is appreciated by all students. It is a good opportunity to gain first hand knowledge of the world of work for a range of ability levels and this is really useful.

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Assessment

122. Assessment procedures in the sixth form are satisfactory; in ICT they are excellent and in English and mathematics they are good. In ICT assessment is rigorous; it gives students very good information about the strengths and weaknesses of their work and what they need to do to improve. In contrast, assessment in art and design is unsatisfactory; students do not receive enough feedback about the quality of their work and how to improve it.

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Assessment

123. In most subjects, students are kept well informed about their progress through good marking with good written detail about performance and advice on how to improve. A number of strands of the Excellence Challenge programme also support students in raising their levels of achievement. The recent achievement day where both parents and students spent some quality time, discussing progress with the tutor was valuable and well received. Tutors mentor students each half term against targets for both academic and personal development. The monitoring of this system indicates that tutors are on schedule and all students have been seen and are aware of their current level of performance.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

124. The partnership with parents has improved since the last inspection but there are still insufficient opportunities for parents to be involved in the work of the school. This means that the impact parents make in the school is also unsatisfactory. Some of the best links with parents are about dealing with problems and issues. The school cannot have a fully effective partnership with parents until parents fulfill their legal obligations to send their children to school and take an active part in their children’s education.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

125. The response to the parents’ questionnaire and the turnout to the parents’ meeting were low. Of those who did respond, most felt that their children were making good progress and were expected to work hard and do their best. They also indicated that their children liked school. Overall parents’ views are mostly positive but are difficult to judge when so few parents responded. The fact that the school is over-subscribed in the lower school is another indication of the school’s increase in popularity locally.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

126. There were some issues the parents raised and inspectors investigated: the school does not work closely enough with parents, there was some disagreement about the quality of information parents receive about progress and the type and amount of homework provided. The school has recently tried harder to work more closely with parents by arranging very successful and well-attended achievement days to provide a high quality account of pupil progress and further guidance on targets for learning and how pupils can be helped and supported at home. The quality of information has strengths in these good consultation arrangements but school reports are disappointing and do not contain sufficient information on progress made in the past year. There is much inconsistency in identifying weaknesses and giving advice and targets for improvement. Recent changes in the homework timetable, staff training, regular monitoring and good use of the new planners have

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

improved the arrangements for homework and these are also now satisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

127. There are no newsletters but other letters are sent to let parents know about issues and events and these serve their purpose well. The Governor’s annual report to parents does not contain all the required information: details about the professional development of staff, the facilities, admission Eastbury Comprehensive School - 31 and the equal opportunity statement for the disabled and details of the changes to the provision for special education needs have been omitted. Overall the information provided for parents is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

128. Historically, parents have not been involved very much in school life but the senior management is trying to change this culture by targeting and involving new parents more. The induction meeting for new parents was well attended; parents were told what to expect and how they could support their children’s learning. New parents are currently attending a ”Learning Together” four week course focusing on geography, ICT, design and technology and science. Up to 80 families are turning up at each session and the parents’ evaluations and the spin-offs for learning are positive. Elsewhere, because parents’ attendance at formal meetings is low, the school is inventive and expands consultation evenings to include details about Year 9 and Year 11 course and career options. Parents do support their children when they are involved in school productions, exhibitions, displays and sporting activities. The dance, drama and martial arts showcase attracted a full school hall with

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

standing room only in support. There are few other chances for parents to come to school and develop better links.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

129. Letters and phone calls about attendance and behavioural issues keep parents well informed about difficulties in school. The school tries hard to work with parents and where there has been a joint home and school approach to improving attendance and behaviour management, there have been some improvements and this in turn has benefited learning. Too many parents, however, condone absence and have poor attitudes in dealing with issues in school. Despite the good efforts of the school to work with families, the school is not always rewarded by parental contributions and these links are less effective.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

130. Parents are appropriately involved in decisions to place pupils on the register of special education needs. They are invited to attend planning and review meetings and are sent copies of Individual Education Plans. Parents are invited to annual review of statement meetings and receive copies of all appropriate documents, but there is insufficient information for parents on pupils’ progress in the annual review documents. Too small a proportion of parents actually attend the reviews, but most comments received are positive and many reviews set out the contribution to be made by parents to help their child’s progress. Special needs staff throughout the school and hearing impaired unit maintain good communication with parents by letter or by telephone to encourage motivation and attendance.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

131. The headteacher is leading the school very well. He has a clear vision of the school’s future and has taken effective steps to improve provision in the year that he has been in post to date.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

132. The school’s aims and values are fully reflected in its work. It is ‘a learning community’, the drive to improve teaching and learning keeping both staff and pupils focused on this aim. Achievement is celebrated and it is an orderly school in which pupils are well cared for.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

133. Senior managers support the headteacher well. Most have served the school for many years and have adapted well to the changing demands that have been made of them. Pupils respect their seniority and their high presence around the school is a key factor in ensuring that the atmosphere is calm and orderly.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

134. Members of the senior management team are linked with subjects. This is a useful management structure but the link role is not developed well enough. Most senior managers do not perceive themselves to be responsible for standards and for the quality of education in their linked areas. More formal structures are needed to ensure that they are constantly assisting subject heads in tackling key improvement issues.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

135. The monitoring of teaching is good in English, mathematics, science, design and technology, history and physical education; satisfactory in ICT, geography and music; and unsatisfactory in modern foreign languages ,art and design and religious education. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 32 136. A particular strength of the school’s management is the work of one of the deputy headteachers in leading improvements in the quality of teaching and learning. The impact of this can be seen in the work of many of the teachers whose morale has also risen as they have seen pupils learning more successfully and with greater enthusiasm.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

137. Other members of the management team make a significant contribution to the improvement of teaching and learning; for example, the manager in charge of implementing both the Key Stage 3 strategy and the school’s contribution to the education action zone. She is successfully working with other teachers in the school and with teachers in the partner schools to make best use of the opportunities that these initiatives have to offer the pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

138. Staff are very well managed. Between Easter 2001 and Easter 2002, half the teachers in the school left and had to be replaced. Departments such as science lost over half their teachers. Pupils’ learning was badly affected in the short term. The school made a considered, pro-active and skilled response to this crisis. Effective long-term initiatives include active recruitment of overseas trained teachers who obtain a high level of support from the school both to settle their families and to obtain British qualifications. Induction of these teachers is a particular strength. All know what to expect, are well appraised and initially given annual contracts. Those unhappy or unsuitable rapidly move on. The school liaises with local training providers and itself trains and mentors all new unqualified staff. Planning for a nursery for teachers’ children is being actively considered to enable teachers

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

with family responsibilities to join the staff. Teachers now often choose to stay because those who are competent are rapidly given management responsibilities for which the school provides very good training.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

139. Most subjects are well managed. Leadership and management are very good in ICT and physical education; good in English, mathematics, science, design and technology and history; satisfactory in modern languages, geography, music and religious education; and unsatisfactory in art.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

140. The chair of governors has made a valuable contribution to the school over many years. He is supported by a governing body which has expertise in areas such as finance and education. Governors have taken a prominent role in shaping the school’s future direction, for example, through the rebuilding programme. They have a satisfactory understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses but have not ensured that all statutory requirements have been met.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

141. The local education authority gives the school valuable service in conducting evaluative and helpful reviews of subjects and other aspects of its provision. 142. The school has a high percentage of pupils who have English as an additional language. They number 370 pupils, with eight being at an early stage of language acquisition. On the site catering for Years 7 and 8, provision is unsatisfactory. The provision for pupils is satisfactory in Years 9, 10 and 11. Not enough is known about the progress of these pupils, there is insufficient classroom support and they are sometimes placed in teaching groups that do not fully reflect their intellectual capability.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

143. Management of the large and complex area of special education needs is currently satisfactory with areas of weakness as well as many strengths The creation of a new management structure and the appointment of a head of study support were aimed at integrating all the provision for learning support, curriculum access, emotional support and guidance, and social inclusion. There is clear evidence of accelerating improvement over the past year but much remains to be done.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

144. The special needs governor is committed and well qualified to help the school move forward, and the headteacher is clearly extremely supportive of developments in this area. The school improvement plan accurately identifies many of the areas that require improvement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

145. Since the last inspection the school has made good progress; this is a major achievement given the recent staffing crisis. Examination and test results have risen, particularly the proportion of pupils gaining five A*-G GCSE grades and satisfactory progress has been made in tackling the other key issues raised by the last inspection. Attendance is a little better but it is still well below national averages. Some good steps have been taken to improve attendance but there remain weaknesses in procedures. Extensive mentoring of pupils, most notably through the Excellence in Cities initiative, has helped to improve pupils’ attitudes to learning; this is particularly noticeable among those at risk of becoming disaffected with school. The curriculum has greater breadth and balance. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 33 It is better organised around a five period day and arrangements to cope with the split site are also

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

more successful. Statutory requirements, however, are still not met in modern foreign languages and for the use of ICT in some subjects. Arrangements for the teaching of religious education still do not meet the demands of the locally Agreed Syllabus and there is no daily act of collective worship. Strategic planning has improved substantially both for the whole school and in subjects. There remain weaknesses in provision for pupils’ spiritual development.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

146. The school’s improvement plan is clear and relevant. It identifies three main priorities: improving the responsibility pupils take for their learning, improving teaching and learning and continuing to recruit and retain high quality staff. While the plan has only a one-year focus, the three main priorities are rightly seen as the key to long-term improvement. To fully reflect governors’ and management’s long term objectives, integration of other strategies such as the specialist school bid, the privately financed building programme and the development of ICT as a tool for learning across the curriculum would improve the coherence of the plan.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

147. Prior to the creation of the whole school and subject improvement plans, reviews are conducted of the school’s and individual subjects’ performance. This is very good practice as the reviews are evaluative and accurately identify strengths and weaknesses. For example, the art and design department recognizes the need to create a more coherent programme of study in Years 7 to 9. Issues raised in the reviews can be tracked through to improvement plans which also appropriately indicate the resources needed to tackle them.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

148. Financial planning is well linked to improvement plan priorities; for example, the high level of investment in the fabric, furniture and ICT facilities in the sixth form centre is consistent with the three main improvement plan priorities. Money’s allocated to the school through external initiatives are well used; for example, the education action zone budget has been almost fully allocated in 2002/3 following extensive consultation and prioritisation among the various schools. Evidence of outcomes from education action zone initiatives such as summer schools is used to evaluate their success and cost-effectiveness.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

149. Information from the local education authority about the progress of the budget has not always arrived in the most useful way. From April 2003 the school will become a ‘check book’ school and plans to use new software to monitor spending. Appropriately it plans to trial the new system before implementation. The school employs a finance assistant who is diligent in monitoring the budget. The last audit report was very positive and the issues identified have been tackled or are in the process of being tackled.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

150. Governors keep a careful track of the budget and are experienced in monitoring spending. They are hampered by not receiving financial reports regularly enough; monthly reports are advised. The principles of best value are understood and followed. Competitive tenders are carefully evaluated; for example, governors rigorously questioned the headteacher about his proposal to lease computers before agreeing to release funding. The weakest element of best value practice is that governors and senior managers are not fully aware of the relative spending patterns of the school compared with other schools both locally and nationally.

p.33

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

151. The satisfactory value for money offered by the school reflects the achievement of the pupils and the quality of education they are offered set against the school’s above average level of funding.

p.33

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

152. The school currently employs about 20 untrained graduate teachers. Not all teachers work in their area of first specialism, so that the match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum in Years 7 to 11 remains unsatisfactory, particularly in mathematics and ICT. The monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching is a priority for senior and middle managers and is satisfactory for established teachers and good for new teachers. Procedures continue to become more effective as the school adapts to more stable staffing. Procedures for appraisal and performance management are satisfactory.

p.33

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

153. There are adequate support staff for pupils with special education needs, but some of them, particularly in the lower school, are not adequately managed and supported. Their contribution is not rigorously evaluated or monitored and this means that the school cannot be sure whether interventions are successful and cost-effective. Some of them feel that their contribution to supporting pupils, and the skills and qualifications they bring from previous work, are not fully valued Eastbury Comprehensive School - 34 or recognised. There is a clear need to invest in their training and development in order to retain valuable staff. The school has begun to use subject teachers’ time which is surplus to curriculum needs to support pupils with special needs. However, preparation for this work has not always been well planned or resourced and potentially valuable small group work is not as effective as it should

p.33

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

154. There is only one member of staff supporting pupils with English as an additional language and this is not enough to meet their needs appropriately. She identifies major issues in supporting pupils in subjects other than English, particularly in mathematics and science, and indicates that this is leading to underachievement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

155. The professional development of teaching staff is very good and a significant strength. An element of training is included in all staff meetings; this is very good practice. The high quality induction of new staff, experienced, newly qualified or unqualified enables all to have the best chance of a successful teaching career within the school. The school admits that its crisis management of the shortage of teachers has led to deficiencies in the induction, professional development and monitoring of non- teaching staff. The school has applied for Investors in People status, and procedures to meet the additional training needs of non-teaching personnel are now well in hand.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

156. The quality of the accommodation is good in the upper school and unsatisfactory in the lower school. The new sixth form centre is of very high quality and provides a very good setting for learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

157. Since the previous inspection the school has relocated the upper school on the Roslyn Road site and the lower school on the Dawson Road site. This has helped to overcome some of the management and teaching difficulties but inevitable difficulties associated with staff travelling from site to site, frequently with books and equipment, remain. Plans exist to bring the two parts of the school together on one site thereby overcoming this problem.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

158. The new buildings are generally very good. Mathematics, design and technology, art and design in the upper school and almost all ICT accommodation is good. The inclusion facilities provide a good setting for pupils who are experiencing difficulties with their learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

159. Though the sports hall and exercise suite in the upper school are good facilities they are the only indoor provision and external sports facilities are very limited. Both indoor and outdoor sports facilities are unsatisfactory at the lower school. Overall, physical education and sports accommodation is therefore unsatisfactory. The accommodation for English and drama accommodation is generally unsatisfactory on both sites; rooms are small, and some are dreary. The libraries on both sites are cramped and do not provide a good setting for reading or research. Science accommodation is unsatisfactory, sometimes insufficient laboratories are available and lessons are inappropriately conducted in general purpose classrooms. Geography rooms are far apart; this affects coordination and use of resources. Art and design accommodation in the lower school is unsatisfactory – the room is dark and does not present a positive image of the subject to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

160. There has been a very significant improvement in the accommodation for the study support areas in both buildings. The split site school, however, contributes significantly to difficulties in achieving the school’s goals for improving the quality of provision for pupils with special education needs.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

161. Both sites are effectively managed – they are clean, tidy and there is no graffiti. Litter is cleared away promptly after each break by the caretaking staff.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

162. The provision of learning resources is unsatisfactory. It meets curricular needs in most subjects, and is particularly good in English, ICT and physical education. However, gaps in the provision of text books in science, geography and modern languages and an inadequate range of resources in the learning support department hinder the progress of some pupils. The ratio of pupils to computers is now very high, although this provision is not yet fully used by all subjects to enhance pupils’ learning. The number of books in the school’s two libraries is very low which reduces opportunities for pupils to undertake independent work and extend their learning. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 35 163. There is a shortage of resources for special needs, particularly for pupils who are at the early stages of literacy; this is particularly an issue when inexperienced staff are supporting pupils.

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Leadership and management

164. The leadership and management of the sixth form are good. An appropriate managerial partnership has the headteacher and one of the deputy headteachers leading on curriculum issues while the head of sixth form leads the development of pastoral provision. The sixth form has grown rapidly over the past two years and a satisfactory range of courses is now offered enabling students to take A, AS, vocational and GCSE examinations.

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Leadership and management

165. The rapid growth of the sixth form has caused some problems with students not always having been best matched to the courses they have chosen to study. As a result, too many students failed to complete courses or failed examinations over recent years. Recruitment procedures have improved and this is now less of an issue for the pupils currently in Years 12 and 13.

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Leadership and management

166. The development and management of A and AS level provision has been more effective than that of vocational provision. A good range of AS level courses are offered, enabling students to achieve appropriate qualifications for higher education or employment. Vocational provision is less well planned; no one in the senior management team has specific responsibility for it.

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Leadership and management

167. The head of sixth form has total commitment to the welfare of the students. He makes himself available for hours before, during and after school, a service that students value and appreciate. His commitment often extends well beyond normal boundaries, supporting students, for example, in finding living accommodation.

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Resources

168. The match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum is satisfactory in the sixth form. The great majority of teachers are well qualified to teach subjects at this level.

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Resources

169. The building of the sixth form centre marks the continuing commitment of the school and the local education authority to post 16 education. This is a very fine facility that sends a clear message to students about the value of learning. Classrooms are attractive places to learn while the well- equipped study room is very well used and makes a major contribution to the development of students’ independent study skills. The social area at the heart of the building is a well-designed focal point. Its central location results in it being used appropriately by the students. The accommodation for some sixth form subjects is unsatisfactory, for example, in English and science. In science, the laboratory provision is not of a high enough specification to reflect A level standards.

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Resources

170. Learning resources in the sixth form are satisfactory, although ICT research facilities in the sixth form centre are very good.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

171. In order to raise standards and improve educational provision, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.35

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Raise the achievement of boys particularly in Years 10 and 11 9,32,75,Subjects

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Continue to raise attendance and punctuality and ensure that attendance registers are completed appropriately. 8,37,38,101,102,129,

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Improve the provision in modern foreign languages and art and design by; • Improving the quality of teaching and learning • Matching work more effectively to pupils’ learning needs • Improving the leadership and management of art Eastbury Comprehensive School - 36 15,51,52,Subjects

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4. Improve the provision for pupils with English as an additional language by;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that all pupils with English as an additional language are placed on courses that able them to achieve at levels that reflect their intellectual ability • Providing sufficient support for pupils with English as an additional language throughout the school, including in the sixth form 11,12,62,76,113,116,117,142,154

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

5. Improve the provision for pupils with SEN including aspects of its organisation by; • Ensuring that all support staff are clear about their roles and are appropriately supported and trained • Improving the integration of SEN provision on the two sites • Increasing the quantity and quality of resources • Improving the quality of IEPs and ensuring that all staff use them • Making sure that annual reviews give parents a good summary of pupils’ progress 13,17,58,59,84,115,143,144,153,163

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

6. Ensure that comprehensive analyses of pupils’ progress are used to guide improvement planning by; • Making more effective use of the school’s information about pupils’ progress to analyse how well each individual performs in each subject and how different groups of pupils perform including girls, boys and pupils from different ethnic heritages. 12,110-114

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

7. Improve the arrangements for PSHE, tutor time and assemblies by; • Ensuring that the PSHE programme is taught well by all teachers • Progressing the plan to re-organise the school day thereby giving sufficient time for tutors to fulfil their roles appropriately • Creating time for assemblies which does not interfere with teaching time 55,56,74,82,83

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Sixth form

1. Raising achievement particularly in AS and vocational courses by; • Reducing the proportion of students who fail to complete courses • Ensuring that students recruited on to courses have good prospects of success 19-26,68-70

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Sixth form

2. Improving the leadership and management of vocational provision; 88,164-167

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Sixth form

3. Ensuring that all students receive appropriate careers guidance. 118-123

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Sixth form

The school has appropriately identified most of the issues raised by the inspection in its improvement planning.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed Years 7 - 11 155

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 195

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Eastbury Comprehensive School - 37 Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Two lessons in Years 7 to 11 were not given a teaching grade. The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Y7 – Y11 Sixth form

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 1435 187

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 457

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special education needs Y7 – Y11 Sixth form

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special education needs 52 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special education needs register 308 30

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 370

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 104

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 139

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Attendance

National comparative data 8.1 National comparative data 1.1

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting year 2001 120 123 243

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Boys 55 67 72 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 38 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 87 68 75

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 59 (51) 55 (50) 62 (53) at NC level 5 or above National 64 (63) 66 (65) 66 (59)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 15 (20) 25 (24) 22 (17) at NC level 6 or above National 31 (28) 43 (42) 34 (30)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Boys 44 64 75 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 65 73 85

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 50 (54) 59 (41) 67 (62) at NC level 5 or above National 65 (64) 68 (66) 64 (62)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 15 (24) 24 (19) 25 (18) at NC level 6 or above National 31 (31) 42 (39) 33 (29)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Years 10 and 11 for the latest reporting year 2001 92 110 202

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

GCSE results 5 or more grades A* to C 5 or more grades A*-G 1 or more grades A*-G

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Boys 20 86 92 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Girls 35 109 110

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Percentage of pupils achieving School 27 (35) 97 (94) 99 (99) the standard specified National 48 (47) 91 (91) 96 (96)

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Average point score School 31.6 (31.7) per pupil National 39 (39)

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Vocational qualifications Number % success rate

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Attainment at the end of Years 10 and 11 (Year 11)

Number studying for approved vocational qualifications or units and School 0 N/A the percentage of those pupils who achieved all those they studied National N/A

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

Number of students aged 16, 17 and 18 on roll in January of the latest reporting year Year Boys Girls Total Eastbury Comprehensive School - 39 who were entered for GCE A-level or AS-level examinations 2001 14 22 36

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

For candidates entered for GCE A / AS / Advanced GNVQ / VCE examinations

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

Average point score per candidate 12.7 (10.9) 13.7 (8.2) 13.3 (9.8)

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

National Average point score per candidate 16.9 (17.1) 18 (18) 17.5 (17.6)

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

For candidates entered for GCE A / AS examinations For candidates entered for Advanced GNVQ / VCE examinations

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

Number of candidates 14 22 36 4 3 7 School

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

Average point score per candidate 12.8 (10.2) 13 (7.5) 12.9 (9.4) 6 (11) 14 (8.6) 9.4 (9.7)

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

National Average point score per candidate 16.9 (17.8) 17.9 (18.6) 17.4 (18.2) 9.8 (10.2) 11.4 (11.3) 10.6 (10.8)

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Attainment at the end of the sixth form (Year 13)

Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 103 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 39 2 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 10 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 33 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 52 6 1

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 40

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y13

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 71.4 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total income 5410755

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 372 Total expenditure 5395386

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y7 – Y13 Expenditure per pupil 3571 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes 77 Balance brought forward from previous year 62,000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Average teaching group size: Y7 – Y13 Balance carried forward to next year 75,000

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 62

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 64

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 4

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 41

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 38 52 3 1 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 34 45 9 4 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 56 12 4 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 40 11 6 15

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 52 35 6 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 31 4 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 29 45 10 7 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 30 49 6 3 12

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 35 51 9 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 41 7 3 15 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 42

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ENGLISH

Overall, the quality of provision in English is satisfactory

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Strengths

• The good quality of the teaching • Leadership and management of the head of department

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Areas for Improvement:

• Teachers’ focus on helping pupils to maximise their learning • Extending the range of extra-curricular activities

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Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Below average Seen during the inspection Below average Below average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen In the present Year 7 attainment is broadly average; in earlier years it has been below average. Over recent years, National Curriculum test results have been similar to science results and higher than mathematics results. Results in the National Curriculum tests fell in 2002 compared with 2001 by a similar margin to the fall in mathematics and science results. GCSE results, both in language and literature, have been below the national average, but are now rising; they are in line with those in similar schools. Very few pupils achieve A* or A grades at GCSE; none did so in literature in 2002. There is a significant difference in attainment between the highest and the remaining sets. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good

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Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) In all years girls perform better than boys, by a similar margin to that between girls and boys nationally. Gifted and talented pupils, those with SEN and those who have English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. In the 2002 GCSE examination, half the candidates achieved better results in English than in other subjects. A fifth of candidates achieved better results than expected, but a third failed to reach their targets. The department does not make enough use of ICT to promote pupils’ learning. The achievement of the pupils has been adversely affected by the high turnover of teaching staff. Absenteeism prevents a significant proportion of pupils from achieving good examination results.

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Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory

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Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

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Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Unsatisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 43 172. Exam results have improved since the last inspection, but some aspects noted previously have still to be addressed. These include providing greater access to computers, and to the library. Pupils need greater encouragement to speak, both in small groups and in their contributions to whole- class discussions. However, the school has now given greater opportunity for speaking in drama lessons and in the school council.

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MATHEMATICS

Overall, the quality of provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

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Strengths

• Leadership of the department – particularly management of the staffing crisis in mathematics. • Schemes of work, assessment and in-house learning materials. • Commitment of permanent staff to raising standards. • Quality of teaching by permanent staff (not necessarily mathematics trained). • Relationships with, and respect for, pupils.

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Areas for Improvement

• Continue with the planned (and partially implemented) ICT developments to support learning. • Expand the present new assessment system to monitor the progress and attainment of various groups of students. • Increase the systematic and regular sharing of good practice between all teachers. • Give National Curriculum levels and examination grades a greater prominence in pupils’ everyday learning and give them better feedback on how to improve these grades or levels.

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average

Seen during the inspection Below average Below average Standards seen were higher than test/examination results – because of changes in leadership and full- time teaching staff. Standards at the end of Year 9 continue to rise at a rate greater than the national trend. National Curriculum test results at the end of Year 9 are lower than in both English and science. Apart from in 2000, boys outperform girls in National Curriculum tests; differences in performance are broadly in line with the national picture. GCSE results, which had been falling steadily, had an up-turn in 2002, a credible outcome given the higher than average proportion of pupils entered. In 2001, boys outperformed girls - against the national trend. Girls performed significantly less well in mathematics than in their other GCSE subjects. Much of the variation in attainment between different mathematics sets at GCSE can be attributed to

p.43

average

variations in the quality of teaching in previous years. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

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Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Satisfactory

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Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

A statistical analysis of GCSE results for 2001 set against national figures shows that the overall progress for all groups is satisfactory, but with some underachievement at the highest levels of attainment. Girls make less progress than boys particularly in middle sets. Standards overall are depressed by poor attendance and, for some groups, lack of continuity in teaching – groups having more than 5 different teachers in a year are not uncommon. Many of these were not mathematics specialists or in some cases qualified teachers. The department does not do enough analysis of how well different groups of pupils perform; this restricts opportunities to raise attainment. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress. This is a result of careful matching of work to pupils’ needs and the effective co-operation between class teachers and learning support assistants.

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Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Eastbury Comprehensive School - 44 Quality of Teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory

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Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

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Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

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Leadership and management Good

173. The new head of department has made a very good start identifying areas for development. However the constant burden of having to provide and monitor supply teachers eats into time which could be spent monitoring teaching and learning. Good progress has been made in the production of quality schemes of work and assessment materials. Many of the shortcomings indicated in the previous inspection are in the process of being eliminated.

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SCIENCE

Overall, the quality of provision in science is satisfactory

p.44

Strengths

• Good leadership and management of the subject. • The good use of the Key Stage 3 Strategy for science to inform teaching and to raise standards. • Teachers have a good command of their subject.

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Areas for Improvement

• Standards, especially in single award GCSE. • Resources, particularly for textbooks and ICT . • Attendance at lessons

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Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Below average Seen during the inspection Below average Below average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen National Curriculum test results were below the average for all schools in 2001, but average when compared to similar schools. Standards dropped in 2002 largely due to severe staffing difficulties. They have now recovered due to an influx of new teachers and the successful implementation of the Key Stage 3 Strategy for science. GCSE results show a similar pattern, again influenced by staffing difficulties. Standards in double award science were below national average in 2001, but they reflected those found in similar schools. They declined in 2002, but are rising again now. Standards in single award science in 2001 were well below average and continue to be so. Girls and boys perform equally well. Standards in science are stronger than those seen in mathematics for younger pupils, but at GCSE they

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Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

are lower than those found in English and mathematics. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Satisfactory Pupils’ behaviour Good

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Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Satisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 45 Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) There are no significant differences between the progress of boys and girls. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress due to well- informed teachers recognising their needs and the work of effective support teachers. Pupils with English as an additional languages make satisfactory progress but, in Year 10, some pupils have not been placed in appropriate sets. More able pupils make good progress as a result of the setting system and extension work. Pupils make good progress with the use of ICT, except with data logging where lack of equipment limits what they can do. Numeracy is both used and taught well, but the use of literacy is not so well developed. Lack of sufficient textbooks impacts unfavourably on progress as do the inadequate resources in the

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Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

library. Poor attendance prevents some pupils from making progress that reflects their capabilities.

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Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory

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Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Satisfactory

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Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Unsatisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.45

Leadership and management Good

174. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. While standards , which had been rising, fell back in 2002 towards those seen last time they are now rising again. The quality of teaching is improving due to the successful implementation of the Key Stage 3 Science Strategy. There are now good and regular methods for assessing how pupils are doing, although the use of achievement information needs further development. If severe staffing problems do not recur the future looks promising.

p.45

ART AND DESIGN

Overall, the quality of provision in art and design is unsatisfactory.

p.45

Areas for Improvement

• The attainment and achievement of boys • The quality of teaching • Behaviour in some lessons • The Years 7 to 9 curriculum, particularly the use made of ICT to promote pupils’ learning

p.45

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Below average Seen during the inspection Below average Below average Eastbury Comprehensive School - 46 Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Teacher assessments show standards at the end of Year 9 to be below average. Standards observed during the inspection were below average during Years 7 to 9; pupils have a limited knowledge and understanding of art, design and craft, undertake insufficient research, three-dimensional work and do not use ICT in their work. GCSE - overall below average, girls’ attainment has been far higher than boys’. The gap is even wider than it is nationally. GCSE results have been below average since 2000 GCSE photography results were below average in 2001; they were well above in 2002. GCSE printmaking results were very low in 2000; it has not been taught since. GCSE graphics results were well below average in 2001, it has not been taught since.

p.45

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

In Years 10 and 11, standards are average in photography; pupils have sound practical skills and good knowledge and understanding of the history and theory of photography. Though fine art students are competent in their use of media and links are made with artists’ work, students in Years 10 and 11 are too dependent on images derived from illustrations or photographs rather than from direct observation. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Unsatisfactory Pupils’ behaviour Satisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 47

p.46

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Girls make greater progress and achieve higher standards than boys because they take more responsibility for their own work, they undertake more extensive research and development. Boys sometimes appear to lack motivation and their attendance is unsatisfactory at Years 10 and 11. This inevitably affects progress and achievement. Though the learning needs of pupils with special education needs are usually identified, teaching does not always provide sufficient support for these pupils and they make limited progress. The most able pupils do not always achieve their full potential because teaching provides insufficient challenge. The quality of teaching is very inconsistent and though satisfactory and occasionally good, one in four lessons observed were at least unsatisfactory. This is a very high percentage and a very unsatisfactory

p.47

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

situation. The main shortcoming is ineffective behaviour management, particularly for pupils with behavioural difficulties. Good lessons are well organised and proceed at a good pace and adhere to school behaviour policy and procedures. Opportunities for misbehaviour are thus effectively removed. Given this inconsistency and shortcomings in teaching and provision, the leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory.

p.47

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory Quality of the curriculum Unsatisfactory Satisfactory

p.47

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Unsatisfactory

p.47

Leadership and management Unsatisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Unsatisfactory Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Unsatisfactory

p.47

Leadership and management Unsatisfactory

176. Progress since the previous inspection has been unsatisfactory. Though standards remain below average on entry they are no longer above average at the end of Years 7 to 9; they are below average. Pupils no longer make good progress and their response, research and development are now less than satisfactory, rather than good. Teaching is no longer entirely satisfactory and the department is no longer an effectively led department. The school still does not comply with its statutory requirement to teach ICT within the subject during Years 7 to 9. The difficulties associated with the kiln have been dealt with.

p.47

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Overall, the quality of provision in design and technology is good

p.47

Strengths

• All pupils are able to follow an appropriate GCSE course • The range of different materials and processes that pupils experience in Years 7 to 9 • The good standard of teaching • The team approach of the teachers that enables a consistent approach to be taken • The good relationships between teachers and pupils

p.47

Areas for Improvement

• Schemes of work at Years 7 to 9 so that pupils are able to build on their learning in each area of the subject. • Increasing designing in Years 7 to 9 so that pupils can plan their own making. • The use of ICT at Years 7 to 9 so that pupils gain more experience of computer aided design and manufacture. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 48

p.47

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Average Average Seen during the inspection Average Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen There has been a dramatic improvement in standards in Years 7 to 9 that has not yet impacted at GCSE level. There is an absence of the highest grades at GCSE because students do not retain enough of what they have learnt earlier and do less well in formal examinations than in continuous assessment. Standards are highest in graphics. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.48

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) In Years 7 to 9 pupils have insufficient experience of making their own designs and this restricts the development of their skills and the progress of the most able, particularly in resistant materials. In Years 10 and 11, boys do not achieve as well as girls, primarily because of poor attendance There are good strategies for ensuring pupils’ complete their coursework, enabling almost all to get a GCSE grade. Pupils with special education needs make satisfactory progress despite the lack of detailed plans to support them. Shortages of specialist staff in food technology have affected the long-term continuity of the teaching and this has lowered standards. Teachers are enthusiasts and this enthusiasm rubs off on the pupils. The constant review and improvement that teachers are making to the curriculum in Years 10 and 11 is

p.48

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory

p.48

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.48

Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Good Improvement since the last inspection Good

p.48

Leadership and management Good

177. The provision for design and technology has improved since the last inspection. Accommodation has dramatically improved because the department is housed in a brand new block on the upper school site. Although there have been staffing difficulties, these have been overcome by the imaginative appointment of staff. Staff’s individual expertise is used well. The team has been carefully built and is effective because of their commitment to their subject and the leadership of their managers. The technicians give effective support to the work of the department, preparing materials and provide welcome support in lessons that raises standards. There is an organised environment, and an expectation that pupils work hard and achieve well. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 49

p.48

GEOGRAPHY

Overall, the quality of provision in geography is satisfactory

p.49

Strengths

• Teaching is good in all years. There is a high proportion of very good lessons which is leading to an improvement in standards particularly in Years 7 to 9.

p.49

Areas for Improvement

• Standards are too low especially in Years 10 and 11. • There are no planned opportunities for pupils to use ICT in Years 7 to 9. • Accommodation is unsatisfactory for all year groups, leading to unequal access to resources. This is having an adverse effect on learning. • There is an insufficient variety of maps, atlases and texts to fully support breadth of study in all year groups.

p.49

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Below average Seen during the inspection Below average Below average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Teachers’ assessments at the end of Year 9 show standards of attainment to be slightly below average. There has been consistent improvement in the results of teacher assessments over the last 3 years. In the GCSE examination at the end of Year 11, the proportion of pupils achieving grades A*-C and A*-G was significantly below the national average for all pupils in year 2001. GCSE results improved significantly in 2002 in response to more consistent teaching but remain below average. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.49

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) In Years 7 to 9, the achievement of pupils has been satisfactory. Pupils are now making more progress due to good teaching. Good appointments to the teaching staff have raised the quality of teaching. The achievement of some pupils in Year 8 is adversely affected because classes are split between teachers. Pupils are making satisfactory progress in Years 10 and 11, and are on track to meet their personal targets. There is no difference in progress relative to their prior achievement between boys and girls, pupils with SEN, those who speak English as an additional language, or the most able.

p.49

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory

p.49

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.49

Leadership and management Satisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Unsatisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Unsatisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.49

Leadership and management Satisfactory

178. The new team of teachers are performing well and this is having a positive effect on pupils’ learning. These recent improvements suggest that examination results will rise. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 50

p.49

HISTORY

Overall, the quality of provision in history is good.

p.50

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching. • Pupils usually respond well in lessons and enjoy the subject. • The leadership and management of the department are good.

p.50

Areas for Improvement

• Data on pupils’ performance in history is not sufficiently analysed to inform individual target setting. • Pupils are not given enough opportunity to use ICT to support their work in history.

p.50

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Below average Seen during the inspection Below average Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Teachers’ assessments at the end of Year 9 over the last three years show that standards are improving, even though they are still below average. Pupils’ oral skills in Years 7 to 9 are better than their writing skills; many pupils find writing difficult. GCSE results have been well below national averages in recent years but in 2002 they improved significantly, when three quarters of the candidates gained A*-C grades.

p.50

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Pupils use historical sources effectively in work seen in Years 10 and 11. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.50

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Good Good Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Pupils, including those with SEN and English as an additional language, achieve well in all years. Girls out-performed boys in GCSE examinations in 2001; owing to good teaching the gap between girls’ and boys’ performance is becoming smaller. More able pupils make good progress because they are given challenging extension tasks. Very well structured lessons in Years 7 to 9 ensure pupils make good progress. Teachers’ very clear understanding of GCSE requirements help pupils make good progress.

p.50

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Good Quality of the curriculum Good Good

p.50

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.50

Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Unsatisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Good

p.50

Leadership and management Good

179. The quality of teaching has become more consistent since the last inspection. The department works well as a team and the more experienced teachers have given very effective support to two newly qualified teachers. Pupils’ work is well marked and assessment procedures are good, but data on pupils’ performance in history is not sufficiently analysed to inform individual target setting in the subject. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 51

p.50

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Overall, the quality of provision in ICT is good.

p.51

Strengths

• Rigorous assessment of pupils’ performance that gives them clear knowledge of how well they are doing and how they can improve. • Department lesson planning that provides role models of good practice for all staff. • The high ratio of computers to pupils enhances learning. • The security system that teaches pupils to use Internet for valid educational research.

p.51

Areas for Improvement

• Ensure that all areas of the National Curriculum are covered. • Improve the teaching of some classes to the quality of the good practice in the majority. • Improve the maintenance of the computer network to remove deficiencies that inhibit learning.

p.51

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Average Average Seen during the inspection Average Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Pupils enter the school with a good skills base in ICT but with little idea of how to use it; the prior experience of the present Year 7 is much higher than in previous years. By age 14, pupils have had no experience of using ICT to measure and analyse physical data, but their standards in the other aspects of ICT are average. All pupils throughout the school have good basic skills that allow them to carry out required tasks. Because, historically, pupils have not necessarily had an ICT lesson each year, GCSE results have been lower than they could have been; now that all pupils study ICT in every year standards are higher. Standards are currently rising because of the impact of a new system of rigorous assessment that makes clear to pupils what they have to do in order to improve.

p.51

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.51

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Although most teaching is good, a small proportion of poor teaching has a negative impact on some pupils’ standards and enjoyment of ICT. When they are well guided, the least able pupils produce good work but they have difficulty in doing so independently. Pupils with special education needs make satisfactory progress overall, Although boys are more adventurous in the use of ICT, girls are more discriminating in their approach. In particular girls are better at designing multimedia presentations. Pupils who speak English as an additional language progress as well as others because of the visual nature of much of the teachers’ guidance. Schemes of work are good and this enables pupils to develop their skills progressively. The most able pupils make are given opportunities to cover more of the course and so can reach higher

p.51

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

grades in GNVQ; otherwise their progress is as expected for their ability. Pupils’ access to ICT to help their learning in other subjects is still patchy, with only some classes having the access specified in the National Curriculum.

p.51

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory

p.51

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Excellent

p.51

Leadership and management Very good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Very good Eastbury Comprehensive School - 52 Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Good Improvement since the last inspection Good 180. The head teacher and governors have given very good support to the development of ICT in the school. This year for the first time all pupils from ages 11 to 16 have ICT lessons. There has been a very good improvement in the ratio of computers to pupils and number of available rooms since the last inspection. All pupils have access to Internet, with a very efficient filtering system that prevents access to unsuitable materials. There is still insufficient equipment or software for use in some subjects such as science and music. In addition, the benefit to learning of this extensive network is reduced by delays in technical support such as introducing new software, organising repairs and improving efficiency.

p.51

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Overall, the quality of provision in Modern Languages is unsatisfactory.

p.52

Strengths

• The new head of department is creating a team spirit based on a shared vision of improvement. • Some of the teaching is of a high standard.

p.52

Areas for Improvement

• Standards of attainment. • The low number of pupils who study French beyond Year 9. • The quality of teaching across the whole department.

p.52

Below average

Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen There has been a trend of falling standards at GCSE over the last three years. Girls perform better than boys and show more positive attitudes to the subject. The number of pupils who take the GCSE French examination is very low. Speaking skills in particular are under-developed throughout the school, especially when pupils are required to reply to questions spontaneously. There are signs of improving standards in the written work of higher attaining pupils in Year 9 and in the work of some pupils in Year 7. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Unsatisfactory Pupils’ behaviour Satisfactory

p.52

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) The school’s involvement in the Key Stage 3 National Strategy is having a positive effect upon standards in the early stages of learning. Pupils make a good start in Year 7, but the progress of a large majority of them falls away sharply by the end of Year 9. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress. The quality of teaching in Years 7 to 9 is inconsistent. There is some excellent teaching, but poor management of pupils hinders progress and adversely affects pupils’ attitudes to the subject. The very low number of pupils who continue to study French in Years 10 and 11make satisfactory progress. Not enough attention is paid by teachers to matching lesson activities to the learning needs of all the pupils in the class.

p.52

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Satisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 53 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Satisfactory

p.52

Leadership and management Satisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Unsatisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Unsatisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Unsatisfactory 181. The provision for Modern Languages has deteriorated since the last inspection. Standards have fallen and some teaching is now unsatisfactory. The recently appointed head of department recognises the need to develop the monitoring and evaluation of teaching so that the existing good practice can be shared more widely. He is working hard with his colleagues to regenerate the department. There is clear direction and a shared commitment to improve.

p.53

MUSIC

Overall, the quality of provision in music is satisfactory

p.53

Strengths

• Improving standards • The contribution of music to school productions

p.53

Areas for Improvement

• To raise the profile and attraction of the subject to encourage uptake at GCSE • Improve the progress of more able pupils • To make more use of instruments other than keyboards in class • To introduce more variety of activities within the lesson • To ensure that the use of ICT is incorporated into schemes of work

p.53

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Average Seen during the inspection Below average Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Standards are rising at the end of Year 9 but they are still below average. Overall pupils find difficulty in basic skills, for example, playing in time and reading notation. GCSE results improved again this year with 100% A* - G grades. Standards in the current Year 11 are broadly average. GCSE compositions show diverse musical styles. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.53

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Good Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Pupils with SEN and English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. Girls make more progress than boys in Years 7 to 9 because they show more commitment to their work but in Years 10 and 11 boys and girls achieve equally. Lessons in which only one activity takes place result in pupils losing concentration and motivation. More able pupils make unsatisfactory progress because they are not expected to produce work of a high enough standard. The profile of the subject in the curriculum and through extra-curricular activities is low and this discourages pupils from getting more involved in music making. Teachers’ demonstrations are good and these motivate the pupils. Changes in teaching staff have disrupted pupils’ learning.

p.53

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 54 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Satisfactory

p.53

Leadership and management Satisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.54

Leadership and management Satisfactory

182. Rising standards suggest that the department is beginning to meet the musical needs of the pupils more effectively. Much work is needed if the subject is to have a high profile and status within the school.

p.54

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Overall, the quality of provision in physical education is very good

p.54

Strengths

• Standards; that are rising in all years • Pupils’ attitudes to learning • Curriculum provision, especially continuity of learning • Leadership and the collective will of the department to improve further

p.54

Areas for Improvement

• Consistent challenges for the most able, including gifted and talented, pupils • Timetable provision for the identified groups that make less progress

p.54

Standards (at the end of key stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations Below average Well below

p.54

average

Seen during the inspection Average Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Teacher assessments at the end of Year 9 suggest that standards were below average in 2001. Teachers’ assessments are on the harsh side and this therefore partly explains the higher standards seen during the inspection. GCSE results in 2001 were well below the national average. The percentage of pupils achieving A*-C grades in 2002 has risen significantly. Present Year 11 GCSE pupils are performing at national average levels. Standards are higher than the last inspection because of better continuity in the curriculum and because of higher participation rates. Pupils’ planning and evaluation skills are as high as their performing skills. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Very good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.54

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Good Good Eastbury Comprehensive School - 55 Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Consistently good, often very good, teaching and positive pupil attitudes to learning means there is no significant differences between boys and girls achievements. Timetabling constraints in Year 9 results in boys’ and girls’ of very differing ability being taught together. There are similar constraints in Year 10 GCSE classes. Pupils in these groups do not make the same progress as other mixed gender or single sex groups. There is equal opportunity for students to participate in a good extra-curricular programme; this helps to maintain standards at all levels of ability. Teachers adapt plans well to meet the needs of pupils with SEN for those from the hearing impaired centre. More able pupils are not given challenging enough activities. New award schemes and challenges in the curriculum for students between the ages of 14 and 16 have

p.54

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

significantly improved motivation and overall achievement since the last inspection. Teachers use effective literacy strategies to improve understanding especially in theoretical studies. ICT is beginning to be used to aid pupils in evaluating performances.

p.55

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Good Quality of the curriculum Good Good

p.55

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Satisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 56

p.55

Leadership and management Very good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Unsatisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Very good

p.56

Leadership and management Very good

183. Knowledgeable leadership and delegated responsibility to motivated and experienced staff underpin the very good progress being made in the department since the last inspection. There are appropriate procedures in place for self-evaluation and change is managed and reviewed effectively. Improvement planning which prioritises the introduction of new 6 th form courses and enhanced community links is relevant and the aims are achievable. Restricted indoor space at both sites impacts negatively on the progress of some groups of pupils.

p.56

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Overall, the quality of provision in religious education is unsatisfactory.

p.56

Strengths

• Teaching is good in Years 7 to 9. • Pupils’ attitudes are good. • The detailed schemes of work for Years 7 to 9 support staff well in teaching and its impact on learning.

p.56

Areas for Improvement

• The curriculum provided for pupils in Years 10 and 11 is unsatisfactory. • Teaching is not sufficiently well monitored. • There is no regular monitoring of pupils’ progress or use of assessment to inform future planning.

p.56

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations None No candidates for

p.56

2001

Seen during the inspection Average GCSE - Below

p.56

Average

At the end of Year 9 there is a satisfactory balance between pupils’ learning about religion and their learning from religion and their attainment meets the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils’ understanding is stronger in their oral work than in their written work; they develop a good understanding of the purpose of religion as well as knowledge of the principal features of world religions. Higher ability pupils are able to give well-reasoned responses in response to challenging questioning. Lower ability pupils’ note-taking skills are limited in some cases by weak reading skills. Three candidates, from a group of four, took the GCSE full course examination in 2002; all achieved pass grades in the C to E range after following a course with a reduced time allocation. In the GCSE work seen pupils do not combine well their own opinions with relevant religious perspectives because of weak literacy skills.

p.56

Average

Higher ability pupils in Years 10 and 11 can use ICT well. Lower ability pupils participate fully in a discussion on Christian attitudes to marriage but their note-taking skills are weak. No work in Years 10 and 11 other than that of GCSE pupils was seen during the inspection. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good Eastbury Comprehensive School - 57

p.56

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Good GCSE- satisfactory

p.57

Core- unsatisfactory

There are no significant differences between the achievements of different groups of pupils. Achievement is good in Years 7 to 9 because of challenging teaching and pupils’ good attitudes. In Years 10 and 11 the achievement of pupils following the GCSE course is satisfactory because of satisfactory teaching and pupils’ good attitudes. The achievement of all other pupils in Years 10 and 11 is unsatisfactory because of the unsatisfactory curriculum provision. Curriculum planning makes some limited provision for the study of religious perspectives on different moral and social issues within the PSHE programme. There is, however, no planned provision for the study of different religions. Provision therefore does not meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Sometimes teachers do not plan lessons effectively, for example by trying to include too many activities; this inhibits learning because pupils do not have time to explore issues in depth.

p.57

Core- unsatisfactory

In Years 10 and 11, pupils receive good individual support during lessons but whole class teaching sessions are less effective in drawing together key points.

p.57

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Good Unsatisfactory

p.57

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Unsatisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Satisfactory

p.57

Leadership and management Satisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Unsatisfactory

p.57

Leadership and management Satisfactory

184. The provision for religious education has not improved sufficiently since the last inspection. Although there has been very good improvement for Years 7 to 9 the situation for other year groups remains as at the last inspection, with statutory requirements not met. The newly appointed head of department has identified relevant priorities for development. The good provision for pupils in Years 7 to 9 is well managed. The department’s capacity to succeed is good, if whole school curriculum planning issues are addressed. Good procedures have been established to assess pupils’ attainment but procedures for monitoring progress are at an early stage of development. Assessment information is not used sufficiently to inform planning. There is some monitoring of teaching but this needs to be extended further.

p.57

DRAMA

Overall, the quality of provision in drama is satisfactory.

p.57

Strengths

• GCSE exam results • Management of pupils • Extra-curricular drama

p.57

Areas for Improvement

• Teachers need to give more attention to pupils’ writing skills • The school should provide better facilities for the teaching of drama Eastbury Comprehensive School - 58

p.57

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Years 7- 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations N/a Average Seen during the inspection Average Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Pupils perform imaginatively and with confidence by the end of Year 9. Drama has only recently been included in the school curriculum, with the first GCSE entry in 2001. A few classes are now taught by non-specialists, and the remainder by two dedicated and qualified drama teachers, both relatively new to teaching. They have continued to make the subject popular. In 2001 all but one candidate for GCSE obtained a grade A-C, and in 2002 nearly two thirds of a much larger entry obtained such grades; this is close to the national average, and one of the best subject results in the school. Standards observed in lessons were largely in line with these results, though the standard of written work was weaker. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good

p.58

Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Good Good Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Pupils make good progress, particularly in Years 9 to 11 because of the skill of the teachers and the well-organised scheme of work. Many more girls than boys choose to take drama as a GCSE subject. Their results are much better than the boys’. In the lessons observed the girls showed greater enthusiasm and imagination. Pupils with SEN are given good support, by teachers and support assistants who join in class activities. Some lessons observed, although giving the pupils scope for improvisation and initiative, lacked sufficient focus on specific skills. The poor teaching facilities impede pupils’ learning opportunities.

p.58

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Satisfactory Good Quality of the curriculum Good Good

p.58

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.58

Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Unsatisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Poor Improvement since the last inspection N/a

p.58

Leadership and management Good

185. Drama was launched very successfully as a subject new to the school only four years ago. The new teachers who have taken over in the last year have high standards to maintain. There have so far been no sixth form exam results. One lesson of Performing Arts was observed in Year 12, and that was devoted to the business component. Students were using the Internet to research the funding opportunities for the creative arts, and did so successfully. Their written work was of below average standard.

p.58

CITIZENSHIP

Overall, the quality of provision in citizenship is good Eastbury Comprehensive School - 59

p.58

Strengths

• Planning for the introduction of this subject has been good • Teachers are enthusiastic and the quality of teaching is good • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ SMSC development

p.59

Areas for Improvement

• Training for all teachers in the specific demands of the subject • An expansion of the range of subjects teaching elements of the citizenship curriculum • The development of ways of measuring pupils’ practical skills.

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Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 9 Year 11

Test/Examinations - - Seen during the inspection Satisfactory - Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen As this subject has only been taught for seven weeks standards for the end of Years 9 and 11 are not available. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

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Achievement/progress Year 7 –Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory - Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Written work shows pupils taking an interest in the subject and making good contributions to discussions. Boys tend to take over discussion sessions but the girls’ contributions were equally, if not more, telling. SEN pupils made valuable contributions to classroom discussions while the more able could move an argument on and think tangentially. Pupils of all abilities showed a growing appreciation of other points of view.

p.59

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Quality of Teaching Good - Quality of the curriculum Good -

p.59

Educational Provision Year 7-Year 9 Year 10-Year 11

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.59

Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection -

p.59

Leadership and management Good

186. A weekly lesson is timetabled for Year 7 followed by modules of around half a term each taught through history, geography and religious education in Years 8 and 9. In Years 10 and 11 a short GCSE course is planned but not yet on offer. The introduction of citizenship has been well planned as a discrete subject.

p.59

Leadership and management Good

187. The skill of responsible action has been addressed and practical channels of pupil involvement in community projects and pressure groups for social justice such as Amnesty have been planned.

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THINKING SKILLS

Overall, the quality of provision in thinking skills is good . The subject is only taught in Year 7 and has been on the timetable for a little over two years. All Year 7 pupils have one thinking skills lesson per week.

p.59

Strengths

• Teaching is good Eastbury Comprehensive School - 60 • All pupils contribute confidently in lessons, increasing their knowledge about their own thinking • Pupils enjoy the subject and understand its use in other subjects • Subject documentation and planning are of good quality

p.59

Areas for Improvement

• Increase the planned contribution to thinking skills made by subjects. • Further raise the profile of thinking skills in the school. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 61

p.60

Standards (at the end of Key Stages) Year 7

Test/Examinations - Seen during the inspection Average Pupils of all attainment levels are keen to contribute to discussions. They make good use of their speaking and listening skills. Pupils take care over their presentation of written work. Each pupil’s contribution is valued by other pupils and teachers. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject Good Pupils’ behaviour Good

p.61

Achievement/progress Year 7

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory There are no obvious differences in the progress of different groups. Teachers make positive and successful efforts to involve all pupils. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress as a result of the teacher’s support and good knowledge of their particular needs. The work set is such that it provides challenge for all levels of attainment. Appropriate attention is given to the improvement of pupils’ literacy skills.

p.61

Educational Provision Year 7

Quality of Teaching Good Quality of the curriculum Good

p.61

Educational Provision Year 7

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.61

Leadership and management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection n/a

p.61

Leadership and management Good

188. Thinking skills was not on the timetable at the time of the previous inspection. The conscious decision has been made to synthesise published materials from various sources to produce a tailor- made course. This has proved successful and produced a popular course - Year 8 pupils remember aspects of it almost a year later. The regular sharing of ideas between teachers is a strong feature of the subject. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 62

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CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN THE SIXTH FORM

In the inspection, nine subjects and courses were inspected and are reported on in detail. Work in other subjects and courses was sampled and contributed to the overall picture of teaching and learning in the school.

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CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN THE SIXTH FORM

The table below shows entry and performance information for courses completed in 2001.

p.62

GCE AS level courses

Subject Number entered % gaining grades A-E % gaining grades A-B Average point score

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GCE AS level courses

School England School England School England

p.62

GCE A level and AVCE courses

Subject Number entered % gaining grades A-E % gaining grades A-B Average point score

p.62

GCE A level and AVCE courses

School England School England School England

p.62

GCE A level and AVCE courses

Graphical applications 3 100 88 0 22 3.33 4.74

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GCE A level and AVCE courses

Photography 7 100 29 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 63 Media studies 10 90 93 50 31 6.2 5.53

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Intermediate vocational qualifications

Qualification No in final year % gaining qualification % gaining merit % gaining distinction

p.63

Intermediate vocational qualifications

School England School England School England

p.63

Intermediate vocational qualifications

Leisure and Tourism 7 43 65 29 18 0 1 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 64

p.63

MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCES

The inspection covered A and AS level courses. The focus was on mathematics and chemistry but biology was also inspected.

p.64

MATHEMATICS

Overall, the quality of provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.64

Strengths

• Teachers’ commitment to raising standards and developing students as mature mathematicians. • High degree of mutual respect between teachers and students. • Increasing popularity of the subject as a post-16 course. • The very low drop-out rate. • Good quality induction course at the very start of Year 12.

p.64

Areas for improvement

• Execute well advanced plans to increase the use of ICT – including use of the Internet to support learning in mathematics and graphical calculators, • Increase the extra-curricular dimension of students’ studies by improving the quantity and quality of the library provision. • Increase the time allowance for mathematics in both Year 12 and Year 13 to reflect more closely that in other schools within the area.

p.64

Standards

Examinations Below average Seen during the inspection Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Staffing changes are having a positive impact on standards – accounting for the difference between examination results and standards observed. Standards are supported by good quality teaching – lessons resemble university tutorials – students are constantly challenged. The subject is increasing in popularity – as a result of students being made more aware of the career opportunities it provides. The quality of in-house learning materials is very good. Teachers’ knowledge of the examination system is an asset. Conversations with students make it clear that although certain parts of the AS and A2 courses are found difficult (primarily the algebra components), they willingly respond to the challenge. Students’ attitudes to the subject Very good Students’ behaviour Very good

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Standards

Development of personal and learning skills

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Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) As a result of the small numbers of students involved, it is difficult to make secure statements about the progress of different groups. Nevertheless no significant differences are apparent. In 2001 poor provision meant that no students passed GCSE re-sit examinations. There have been improvements in provision and levels of achievement; students are fully aware of the ground to be made up and are well motivated. Students know how well they are doing and are encouraged to evaluate their own learning; this enhances their progress. Schemes of work are well structured which helps students make appropriate progress through their courses. Students enjoy the subject and persevere with difficulties. They take pride in their work – and keep well organised sets of notes and annotated handouts.

p.64

Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

Eastbury Comprehensive School - 65 Eastbury Comprehensive School - 66

p.65

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.66

Leadership and Management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.66

Leadership and Management Good

189. The provision for post-16 mathematics is improving. The subject has grown in popularity. This is the result of a well thought out induction course, and the quality of pre-sixth form course information - few students ‘drop out’. Improvements have been as the result of good quality leadership of the department. Post-16 lessons are characterised by a strong focus on learning coupled with very good relationships between teachers and students.

p.66

CHEMISTRY

Overall, the quality of provision in chemistry is satisfactory

p.66

Strengths

• Very good teaching. • Good relationships between teachers and students

p.66

Areas for improvement

• Examination results • The monitoring of students’ progress • Accommodation to provide a heart for sixth form teaching, resources and practicals.

p.66

Standards

Examinations Below average Seen during the inspection Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen In 2001 AS and A2 examinations results were below the national average. A2 standards rose in 2002 whilst AS standards did not. The work seen, during the inspection, indicated that standards are rising; this is because of the very good teaching that the students are now receiving. Taken over time there is no significant difference between the performance of girls and boys. Students’ attitudes to the subject Good Students’ behaviour Very good Development of personal and learning skills

p.66

Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Eastbury Comprehensive School - 67 Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Achievement of the students in the 2001 and 2002 examinations, when compared to their GCSEs, was unsatisfactory. However, with the present teaching, achievement is satisfactory. Numbers doing chemistry are small, but they are rising. Almost all students who set out on the AS and A2 courses complete them. More able students obtain good grades but some of the less able may not have strong enough GCSEs to cope successfully with the demands of an A level course. The progress of students is greatly helped by warm relationships and the willingness of the staff to offer individual help. It is not helped by the poor library facilities and the lack of a suitable sixth form laboratory. While much is good about the way students’ work is assessed, not enough use is made of this

p.66

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Very good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Satisfactory

p.67

Leadership and Management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Unsatisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.67

Biology

While chemistry was the focus of the inspection one lesson of biology was observed. This was a good lesson on membranes characterised by good presentation, logical development with regular checks on learning, leading to reinforcement where necessary. As a result the students learned well. Examination results in biology were below national averages in 2001, but they rose in 2002.

p.67

ENGINEERING, DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING

The inspection focus was A, AS and GNVQ courses in design and technology.

p.67

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

Overall, the quality of provision in design & technology is good .

p.67

Strengths

• The developing curriculum, that matches pupils’ prior attainment to appropriate post-16 courses. • Good quality teaching from knowledgeable and skilful teachers. • The quality of the A level provision, albeit for small numbers of students. • The interpersonal relationships between staff and learners, and learners and learners. • The quality of the learning environment.

p.67

Areas for improvement

• Reduce the size of the teaching team in each course so that students have a closer working relationship with their teachers and so that the continuity of learning is improved. • Ensure that pupils attend lessons regularly, and on time, to maximise their learning opportunities.

p.67

Standards

Examinations A level - above average AS level - below average GNVQ - average Seen during the inspection Below Average Eastbury Comprehensive School - 68 Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen The number of students entering for examinations in design and technology has varied over time, and now the numbers in Year 12 are substantial. In consequence, the recent history of results is inconclusive. In the work seen, at A level, it was at national expectation. At AS level, there are a large number of students and here standards vary. At GNVQ level, things are more variable, with students who arrive late or who have poor attendance, pulling down the attainment of the whole group. In consequence the higher attainers are not reaching their full capability. Students’ attitudes to the subject Good Students’ behaviour Good Development of personal and learning skills Good

p.67

Achievement/Progress Year12-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Good Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) At A level, skilful teaching enables students to be involved in their learning, work on challenging and appropriate tasks and make good progress. At AS level, although the students are keen and interested, having four teachers teaching them a period a week means that progress is depressed. For example, in their project work the teacher needs at least 3 weeks to get round the whole class, slowing down the rate of production of reviewed quality coursework. At GNVQ level, the more able students are committed to their work and when given tasks that they can get on with on their own, work hard and achieve well; for example when using computer aided design. Average students make satisfactory progress. The lower attainers, often with poor timekeeping or attendance records, find it difficult to keep up with the

p.68

Achievement/Progress Year12-Year 13

class and go off task until the teacher has the opportunity of supporting them on a one-to-one basis. The provision of new computer-aided design programmes has enabled students to work with an industry standard provision. At A level, the use of project packs borrowed from leading institutions gives relevance to the work, and clearly places technology in its historical and social contexts. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable teachers enable students to achieve at a higher level than might be expected on entry to the courses.

p.68

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Good Quality of the curriculum Good Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.68

Leadership and Management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Very good Improvement since the last inspection Good

p.68

Leadership and Management Good

190. The recent building programme has provided high quality accommodation in both design and technology and in the sixth form block, where students use the new computer system as part of their work. The head of department, ably supported by all the department staff, very effectively managed the design and technology developments. They work as a team both in planning courses and in delivering them, and this is a strength, although the size of the team on the AS course is too large. The technicians provide good technical backup, which enables the staff to focus on preparing and delivering a good scheme of work. In consequence, the provision for design and technology has improved significantly since the last inspection.

p.68

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The inspection covered A level, AS level, GNVQ courses and the recently introduced course in Cisco Networking. Eastbury Comprehensive School - 69 Overall, the quality of provision in ICT is good .

p.68

Strengths

• The range of courses available to meet the needs of students of all abilities. • The rigorous assessment that allows students to know how they can improve. • The availability and high quality of equipment giving the sixth form equal access to computers for learning.

p.69

Areas for improvement

• Raise the standard of some teaching to the level of the best seen. • Ensure that students on entry to courses are capable of working at the required levels.

p.69

Standards

Examinations Average Seen during the inspection Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen A level students are working at expected levels for their stages in the course. Year 13 students give confident presentations on aspects of the course, showing good overview of issues supported by well researched, relevant detail. Students have strengths in all areas except use of relational database where they struggle because of lack of prior experience. Some students have entered the GNVQ course with no, or very little, prior learning of ICT. Such students have to acquire basic skills before they can begin to work at the required level. Year 12 GNVQ students are working below levels expected for the year group. Their attainment on entry to the course is low, with about half, including students from other schools, having had no ICT tuition for

p.69

Standards

several years. Students with low prior results in ICT courses now know the effort required of them, as a result of very rigorous marking and feedback. Most are working hard to improve. Their standards in different aspects of the course are affected by variations in the quality of teaching, although all teachers have very good subject knowledge. Students’ attitudes to the subject Good Students’ behaviour Good Development of personal and learning skills

p.69

Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Students in Year 12 have had a difficult transition from GNVQ or GCSE to A level standards, but have now adapted and are all making satisfactory progress. In A level the girls work more systematically than boys, but the most able students are boys. Students who speak English as an additional language need greater support in understanding and expressing ideas and instructions. Boys are more adventurous than girls in GNVQ but the girls work more carefully and methodically, and so are making satisfactory progress. For example, girls are more likely to save and annotate drafts of their work, demonstrating the stages of their thinking. Students who are committed to success are making good use of the system of rigorous marking introduced this term. Students not following a course in ICT have no access to improvement in their use of ICT to help their

p.69

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Good Quality of the curriculum Good Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Excellent

p.69

Leadership and Management Very good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Very good Adequacy of resources Very good Eastbury Comprehensive School - 70 Adequacy of accommodation Very good Improvement since the last inspection Good

p.69

Leadership and Management Very good

191. The school has improved provision for ICT in the sixth form by introducing a course leading to a qualification in CISCO networking. During the inspection one lesson was seen and participating students were interviewed. They find the materials challenging, and their standards are as expected in the early stages of the course.

p.70

Leadership and Management Very good

192. Provision for ICT has improved since the last inspection, with excellent improvement in the quality and quantity of networked computers. Learning in some classes seen during the inspection was disrupted by the breakdown of some of the new computers coupled with delays in having them repaired. The range of courses for the sixth form has improved with the introduction of GNVQ and CISCO networking, but some GNVQ students entered the sixth form with too little experience of basic skills to allow them to start the course at the appropriate level. All of the subject staff have good subject knowledge. The head of department manages the subject very well. He monitors teaching well, and is working hard to support inexperienced colleagues’ planning and classroom technique. The department’s recent concentration on excellent detailed assessment is raising standards by showing students in all courses what is required of them. In class, however, students

p.70

Leadership and Management Very good

who speak English as an additional language need clearer support with instructions. The department’s rigorous approach and subject expertise provides good potential for improvement.

p.70

HOSPITALITY, SPORTS, LEISURE AND TRAVEL

The inspection focus was on physical education. No full time courses are offered in physical education, but the subject offers a major contribution to the enrichment and key skills programmes.

p.70

HOSPITALITY, SPORTS, LEISURE AND TRAVEL

There is a good programme of enrichment activities. Students are involved in Duke of Edinburgh and water- based life saving schemes. A good citizenship focus is achieved in community activities for local OAP’s and paired reading in primary schools. Local agencies are used as part of a business enterprise group and students who follow the community sports leader award also have significant involvement in local initiatives. Students participating in these schemes during the inspection were very enthusiastic about these opportunities. These schemes do not presently extend to Year 13.

p.70

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS AND MEDIA

The inspection focus was A, AS and GNVQ courses in art and design and photography. Media Studies was also inspected.

p.70

ART

Overall, the quality of provision in art and design is satisfactory.

p.70

Strengths

• The provision for photography • The use of ICT to enhance students’ learning

p.70

Areas for improvement

• More use of first hand observation rather than secondary sources • Teaching strategies to support less able students, particularly boys

p.70

Standards

Examinations Below average Seen during the inspection Average Eastbury Comprehensive School - 71 Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen There have been few A-level candidates since 2000. Overall standards have been below average in fine art and average in photography. Below average standards have been achieved in AS examinations. Above average standards were achieved in GNVQ advanced in 2000 and 2001, there were no candidates in 2002. Below average standards have been achieved in GNVQ intermediate. Standards observed during the inspection indicate improvement. AS standards are now average; substantial exploration and development work is undertaken by some students. Students continue to achieve results which are above average in photography. Students have good practical and aesthetic skills and good knowledge and understanding of the work of photographers.

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Standards

GNVQ intermediate and advanced students are achieving average standards which again indicates some improvement from past results. Most students undertake extensive exploration and development work. The highest attainers base their work on direct observation informed by the work of artists. Less able students depend heavily on working directly from reproductions or photographs. Students write extensively about artists and their work and most use ICT confidently to manipulate and modify images. Students’ attitudes to the subject Satisfactory Students’ behaviour Good Development of personal and learning skills

p.71

Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) More girls than boys do courses in art and design; they invest more time and effort and thus make more rapid progress and achieve higher standards. Minority ethnic students are amongst the highest achievers. SEN pupils make good progress in the practical aspects of the subject but find research, particularly written work, difficult. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Individualised tuition is the norm; students find this helpful. Shortcomings exist when complex, technical language is used without checking that students, particularly lower ability students, understand. Curriculum planning is insubstantial and provides insufficient guidance for teaching. The overall management of GNVQ courses is weak. Students receive insufficient written feedback about their work.

p.71

Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

Students are generally happy with the courses but feel that there is sometimes insufficient time in which to do the work. They would welcome more information about careers in art and design.

p.71

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Unsatisfactory Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Unsatisfactory

p.71

Leadership and Management Unsatisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Unsatisfactory Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Very good Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.71

Leadership and Management Unsatisfactory

193. Overall, the subject has not been fully effective since the previous inspection but the current situation indicates improvement and it is currently effective because most students are making satisfactory progress and some are achieving well.

p.71

MEDIA STUDIES

A Year 13 lesson in media studies was sampled in which the quality of teaching and learning was good. Standards are above average and students’ attitudes to the subject are very good. The quality of resources Eastbury Comprehensive School - 72 for the subject is exceptionally good and the accommodation is excellent. Leadership and management are very good.

p.71

HUMANITIES

The inspection focus was A and AS level courses in geography. A and AS level lessons in history, law, sociology and psychology were also sampled as was provision for religious education.

p.72

GEOGRAPHY

Overall, the quality of provision in geography is satisfactory.

p.72

Areas for improvement

• Resources are inadequate. There is an insufficient variety of maps, atlases and texts to fully support breadth of study and independent learning Eastbury Comprehensive School - 73

p.72

Standards

Examinations Average Seen during the inspection Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen The small number of students taking the subject at A level achieved a B, two C’s and a D in 2001. Their average points exceeded the national average. In 2002, at AS level, one student achieved an A grade, two a D grade and one an E grade. These standards are reflected in work seen in Year 13. At A2 level in 2002, two students achieved a C grade, one a D grade, one an E grade with two students ungraded. This is below the national average. A wide spread of attainment was seen during the inspection, which broadly reflected the examination results. The subject has recruited twelve students this year, all of whom, although a little way into their course, look set to achieve their targets which include a high proportion of A-C grades at AS level. This is a

p.73

Standards

response to the good and often very good teaching they receive. Students’ attitudes to the subject Good Students’ behaviour Very good Development of personal and learning skills

p.73

Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

How well students achieve Good Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Students make good progress. The difference in progress between girls and boys and the different ethnic groups within the school is not statistically significant given the small numbers involved. Higher ability students make better progress than other pupils; they are more proactive in developing their own learning, for example, by finding their own resources.

p.73

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Good Quality of the curriculum Good Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

p.73

Leadership and Management Satisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Unsatisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Good Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.73

Leadership and Management Satisfactory

194. The subject is effective because teaching is so good. Students make good progress in relation to their prior achievement. Higher achievers make very good progress because they find no difficulty in working independently. The rest do not make the same progress because the library facilities and departmental supply of books, maps, and texts to more fully support independent learning are unsatisfactory.

p.73

HISTORY

Two lessons were observed in Year 12. Standards are average at this early stage in the course and, thus far, the achievement of students is good. Teaching and learning are good.

p.73

PSYCHOLOGY

The provision for psychology is unsatisfactory. The trend in results in recent years is well below the national average. The newly appointed head of subject inherited limited teaching and learning resources Eastbury Comprehensive School - 74 and very poor schemes of work. One lesson observed featured satisfactory teaching and learning. Present standards are well below the national average. There is an immediate need to develop assessment and tracking procedures that more accurately reflect present standards and set realistic targets. The head of department would benefit greatly from a range of appropriate training.

p.73

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Improvement from the last inspection is unsatisfactory. The curriculum provided does include courses that potentially fulfil the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. The ASDAN course taken by all Year 12 students and the AS Critical Thinking course taken by all Year 13 students both include the study of beliefs and ethical issues. However the relevant module in the Year 12 course is chosen by only one third of students whereas all students follow the relevant module in Year 13.

p.74

SOCIOLOGY

One lesson was seen during the inspection. This is a popular, new course. All seventeen students were present in the lesson seen. Teaching and learning in the lesson were very good. Students applied very well their theoretical knowledge of functionalism and Marxism to the lesson topic. They had clearly made very good gains in their learning during the first half term of the course. A lively whole class discussion was sustained for a full hour. Students confidently used and developed their understanding of a range of ideas relating to the sociology of education including meritocracy and the hidden curriculum. Higher attainers were able to explain the limitations of theoretical concepts. Methods used were very effective with an examination question used as the focus and with an emphasis on scoring high marks on a high mark question. Discussion built very well from a simple beginning to a high level of challenge. Planning was very

p.74

SOCIOLOGY

well linked to examination requirements, with discussion used as preparation for a homework assignment that would then be “marked” by all students using the examination board’s marking scheme. Note-taking skills were variable and not all students “captured” accurately the depth of the discussion in their notes.

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LAW

All eight students passed A level in 2002 while in 2001, 82% of the 11 students passed the examination. Nearly half the students gained A or B grades in 2001 but none gained an A or B grade in 2002. AS level results were unsatisfactory over the past two years. In the 2001 AS level examination 73% of students gained pass grades but only 31% gained pass grades in 2002. In the two lessons seen, teaching was satisfactory in one and very good in the other. In the best teaching, students were challenged to think hard, to justify arguments and to refer to case law.

p.74

ENGLISH, LANGUAGES AND COMMUNICATION

The inspection focus was A and AS level courses in English and French.

p.74

ENGLISH, LANGUAGES AND COMMUNICATION

Overall, the quality of provision in English is satisfactory .

p.74

Strengths

• The quality of teaching • The support teachers give students

p.74

Areas for improvement

• Teachers should give more guidance about how to write essays and widen the scope for learning outside the classroom Eastbury Comprehensive School - 75

p.74

Standards

Examinations Below average Seen during the inspection Average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen Results in the AS exams have been improving in the last three years, and are now just below the national average. Some lower ability students leave the course during Year 12, so standards seen in lessons are higher than those indicated by examination results. Year 12 students reveal a wide range of ability. Most have a good knowledge of texts, and a capacity to talk perceptively, as they did when discussing the relationship between Iago and Desdemona in Othello. Most Year 13 students have reached standards at or only slightly below the national average. In one lesson they showed maturity and intelligence in dissecting the text of The Handmaid’s Tale. In both Year 12 and 13, students display some weakness in the organising of essays; students often fail

p.75

Standards

to see what the question requires, and then re-tell the story rather than analyse the issues. Year 13 students are beginning to read outside the set texts, and become more aware of the social and political context in which literature is set. Students’ attitudes to the subject Very good Students’ behaviour Very good Development of personal and learning skills

p.75

Achievement/Progress Year12-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Students are making good progress during their two years of studying English in the sixth form. Students make increasingly good use of the Internet for research. Less able students suffer from a lack of fluency in composition, but by Year 13 all can express themselves clearly. In both Year 12 and 13 the most articulate students were boys, and, in Year 12, a group of girls remained silent in the lesson observed, but overall there was no discernable difference between the progress made by boys and girls.

p.75

Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Good Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Good Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Very good

p.75

Leadership and Management Good

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Good Adequacy of resources Good Adequacy of accommodation Satisfactory Improvement since the last inspection Satisfactory

p.75

Leadership and Management Good

195. The subject is effective in arousing students’ enthusiasm for the study of literature, and giving them a wider general knowledge than they had before. Students are given the confidence to talk perceptively about literature, with growing awareness of the subtleties of character and motivation in, for instance, a Shakespeare play. However, although they are writing at great length, with diligent research, they still find it hard to express their ideas in a well structured essay. Moreover, the department provides few opportunities for visiting theatres or taking other advantages of the school’s proximity to London Eastbury Comprehensive School - 76

p.75

French

Overall, the quality of provision in French is unsatisfactory.

p.76

Strengths

• Development of students’ speaking strengths. • Assessment of students’ individual learning needs.

p.76

Areas for improvement

• Recruitment of a higher number of appropriate students on to AS and A2 courses. • The quality of students’ writing skills.

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average

Seen during the inspection Below average Commentary including explanations for any differences between exam/test results and standards seen The numbers of students entered for A-level examinations in the last four years have been very low. Of the six candidates, none has gained a grade higher than D. Consequently, meaningful comparisons with national averages cannot be made. In the current Year 12, the standard of students’ work is broadly average but there is a wide variation in standards of speaking and writing Students speak confidently and spontaneously; their understanding of spoken French is good. Students’ written work is poor as their knowledge of much basic grammar is insecure. Students’ attitudes to the subject Good Students’ behaviour Very good Development of personal and learning skills

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Achievement/Progress Year11-Year 13

How well pupils achieve Satisfactory Statement about any differences in progress between pupils (girls/boys, SEN, most able, EAL) Students in the current Year 12 are making satisfactory progress overall, especially in speaking and understanding. The achievement of pupils in previous years has been unsatisfactory. There are no students in Year 13. The teachers know their students well and, by carefully monitoring their work, have a good understanding of individual students’ learning needs. As a result, relationships are good and student attitudes are positive. Insufficient insistence by teachers on greater use of French by their students in lessons holds back the rate of progress. Good collaboration between the two teachers responsible has resulted in a well-prepared scheme of work that caters appropriately for their students, including those with a partly French-speaking background.

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Educational Provision

Quality of Teaching Satisfactory Quality of the curriculum Satisfactory Spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision Satisfactory Quality of assessment and progress monitoring Good

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Leadership and Management Satisfactory

Effectiveness of action to improve the subject’s quality Satisfactory Adequacy of resources Satisfactory Adequacy of accommodation Good Improvement since the last inspection Unsatisfactory

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Leadership and Management Satisfactory

196. The current provision for French in the sixth form mirrors the situation at the time of the previous inspection. No effective action has been taken to improve recruitment and retention rates of students on A-level courses. The unsatisfactory number of students gaining success in GCSE Eastbury Comprehensive School - 77 French in Year 11 has an adverse effect upon recruitment to the sixth form. A policy of equal opportunity allows entry on to sixth form courses in French, and the current group of five in Year 12 includes two students who do not have an A*-C grade in GCSE French.

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